The Wishful Thinker
by S.F.Acronym
Summary: The strange older looking girl that had just appeared when he was polishing this bottle was named Miyako Kurosawa. She stared down at him unafraid, and almost bored, waiting for her question to be answered, and instantly Gaara knew what he wanted. OCxGaara
1. A Wishful Thinker Indeed

The Wishful Thinker

The strange older looking girl that had just appeared when he was polishing this lamp was named Miyako Kurosawa. She stared down at him unafraid, and almost bored, waiting for her question to be answered, and instantly Gaara knew what he wanted.

A/N: Hey guys, be kind to me this is my first fanfiction on this website so I need good feedback; I need constructive criticism, so no flames! That's really all for now; tell me what you think darlings! I need to know if I can continue this story or if it's just a hopeless endeavor.

1: A Wishful Thinker Indeed

The shrill of a bell and the loud resonating voices of happy children fill the afternoon heat. Thankfully the sun is creeping back down the horizon to sleep as small feet beat the pavement, and some the sand, leading away from Sunagakure's Ninja Academy and into the arms of smiling mothers and fathers as they gladly make their way home. These families turn away from the majestic building-like fortress in the middle of the sand as they follow happy children to their respective homes. From one of the Fortress' many large windows a small, round face peeks out longingly as the other children all wander away. The face looks away when they can bear no more, fiery red hair glinting in the dying sunlight's last rays.

"Father, can't I go out and play with all the other children?" The quiet voice of the redhead pleads, looking into the dark room with sad sea foam green eyes. The dying sunlight lends a small ray to slant into the room, illuminating the polished wood of a desk and the back of a high dark brown leather chair. A pregnant pause stretched between the father and his son, before said father sighed heavily.

"You act as if you possess friends, **monster**." The Father then said to his son, who instantly flinched at the harsh words. He tried to suppress his sobs as his eyes misted dangerously, knowing that it would only make his father angrier. One slipped through his lips involuntarily and he clamped his tiny hand over his mouth fearfully, eyes wide as he tensely awaited his father's reaction.

"Go." His deep voice rumbled; his back still turned to his frozen son. The son was so shocked and stiffened that he did not hear his father's command.

"I SAID GO!" He roared moments later, spinning around and throwing a large book in his son's general direction.

His father's exclamation jolted the son out of his stupor and he quickly ran out the door to his father's endless rampage of screams about how he was nothing but a monster.

Tears streamed freely as he ran and ran until his little legs gave out from exhaustion and he fell to the sandy ground at the mouth of an alley. He laid there quietly sobbing as he tried to regain his bearings and his breath. By the time he had calmed himself the moon had just peaked in the sky, shining dim light onto Suna: a half moon.

He realized that he could not lie out in the open street, as the villagers would surely find him and attempt to kill him, _attempt_ being the operative word. So he crawled his way into the alley and hid among the trash while he thought over his father's words and the similar words of those like him.

They were true, he was a monster. Nothing could hurt him, he didn't even know what pain felt like, and he often pondered it after one of his father's episodes. In fact, he not only pondered it but had even attempted to feel it, in vain; nothing could purge his sand wall, _nothing_.

Then again he wondered if that was enough to truly label him a monster. When his father had first used the term he had looked it up, confused, but able to recognize that it was an insult, a hurtful, horrible insult. When he'd found the definition he set out to read about other monsters, seeking clarification that he was indeed what his father had said, after all he could've said that out of his right mind…right? Although the monsters he read about did not seem to fit him at all, his father, as well as many other villagers, continued to call him by the vile name.

He tried to change himself, he tried to be nicer and kinder, he tried to use his cursed sand in a good way, but they all rejected him, had shouted even more horrible names and ran away from his kindness. None of the village children would play with him; in class the teachers trembled nervously in his presence and allowed him to do whatever he pleased, avoiding him at all costs.

That's when he realized it: No matter what he did, no matter how he acted, he would always be a monster to them. So he avoided them, he stayed out of sight of the villagers, tried not to bother his teachers and only seldom tried to play with the village children. This day was supposed to be one of those seldom days, it had been months since he had been out last, and he wanted to see if he could find at least one child that wasn't afraid of him.

With his mind made up and his tears all dried, he set about slowly getting up to make his way out into Suna, until a loud clatter sounded near him. He held his breath, and peeked over the trash bags to see light pouring into the alleyway from an open doorway. He could hear yelling faintly from inside as a tall man stumbled out, wobbling unsteadily on his feet. He observed that the man was a ninja, what with his Suna jounin uniform and his Suna haite gleaming in the moonlight.

"Oh shut up, Kagome! I'm taking out the damn trash already, so why don't you get off your lazy ass and do something useful, like cook me some dinner!" The man shouted as he carefully wobbled over to the boy's hiding spot. He pulled himself into a little ball as the man's footsteps got closer; holding his breath and listening intently. He heard a loud clang in front of him, before a shrill female voice shouted something he could only describe as vulgar at the man; so he shouted back, so he waited until the voices drifted away before peeking from his hiding spot.

The coast was clear and he breathed out a huge sigh of relief, sinking into the unpleasant smelling trash bags like they were the softest pillows. It was amazing how emotionally exhausted one so young as he could become after only a few hours, but to be fair he had far too many burdens for someone as young as him.

He began to feel the weight of said burdens as he sat there continuing to ponder, his eyes threatening to mist again as he thought: "I just wish they could understand…"

He sat there a few minutes longer before deciding that it was probably about time to head home; he didn't feel quite up to searching for a friend anymore, besides, father might worry about him, at least he hoped.

As he raised himself from his sitting position a golden gleam caught his eye, and he turned his head towards it, curious. Slowly he moved towards it, somehow mesmerized by the mere thought of something golden in a trash pile. He found that the gleam was buried under a small mountain of trash, and his sand plus his little hands set to work on digging it out.

Soon he unearthed his treasure, surprised to find an intricate bottle lightly dusted with sand and, well, dust, was lying inside.

The bottle was a dark color - maybe black?- with swirls of gold around the slender neck and along the widened base; it had a matching stopper atop that had only an unreadable symbol in gold to decorate it. There were also faint characters along the perimeter of the bottle, but the sand and dust was making them hard to read.

"This is the lamp of-"He squinted as the characters became harder to read, and began to rub the dust away with his tiny hands. He grinned triumphantly when the characters were distinguished, but frowned in confusion as the bottle started to vibrate lightly in between his palms.

"What the-?" He yelped as the characters glowed brightly and…burned him? But how? The lamp landed in the soft sand, beginning to vibrate more violently, as the characters pulsed like strobe lights and the stopper to the top of the bottle flew off, making the boy reel away in slight fear.

Finally though, the bottle…calmed. The lights faded away slowly and the bottle stopped shaking altogether. He continued to stare at the object distrustfully, slowly rising all the while watching the bottle in earnest.

He did not notice the purple smoke billowing from the now uncorked top, nor did he notice it snaking around and then behind him to solidify into…a woman.

When he figured the bottle would no longer attack him, he cautiously went towards it, still curious about its origins.

"A child?" A voice like a wind chime murmured behind him, making him spin around and gasp at the suddenness of it all.

There stood a slender woman, shoeless, with a dark side slit skirt that was adorned with a belt of what looked like gold coins, she wore a bikini looking top of the same color to cover amble breasts that were studded with golden studs, her face was hidden with a veil of the same color with gold trimmings and her long, voluminous hair was tied up by dark fabric. The rest of her was glowing olive skin and piercing dark purple eyes.

"Who-who are you?" The boy murmured nervously, he hadn't heard her approach and was sure that no one else was around before he messed with that bottle…

"Sabaku No Gaara, I am the genie of this bottle." The boy, Gaara, watched amazed as she kneeled down to his level, made the bottle appear in her hands and held it out to him.

"G-genie, those exist?" She only nodded once, curiously silent, still holding the bottle out to him. "Is that for me?" She nodded again. "Why?"

"You have freed me from the bottle, little master, and therefore have earned from me five wishes." She placed the bottle in his timidly open hands carefully, rising to stand to her full height again.

"Wishes? So…you mean you'll grant me anything I ask for, just because I rubbed this bottle?" The nameless genie nodded and then spoke again in a sweet voice:

"What is it that you desire, little master?"

"Can I think about it?" He asked after a few moments of silence and her unwavering stare.

She bowed, "of course."

"We can talk first while I think of what I could want." He plopped onto the ground before patting the spot next to him with a big smile.

The genie obediently sat next to her new charge and waited for him to start the conversation.

"Well, what's your name?" Gaara inquired.

"My name is Miyako Kurosawa…" The genie answered after being shocked into momentary silence.

"Why did you hesitate to reveal your name? Was it secret?" Gaara whispered the last part conspiratorially.

"No, its just that…no other master has ever asked me my name before." She confessed.

"You've done this before?"

"Many times." Miyako answered vaguely.

"How long have you been trapped in that bottle? How old are you? How did you get in there?" He questioned rapidly, both fascinated and kind of nervous about the answers.

"I have been trapped in the bottle for far longer than both you, your father, your grandfather and your great-great grandfathers have lived combined."

Gaara's eyes widened to the size of saucers as his little mind tried to comprehend how long that was; he continued to struggle with the math as he listened to her answers.

"With that said, it is obvious that I am far older than I look and by far much older than you."

He waited breathlessly for her the answer to his last question, curious about that one most of all.

"Unfortunately I cannot tell you about the circumstances behind my servitude to the bottle, as it is a part of my binding to the bottle."

Gaara frowned, but he wasn't too upset, something told him that he wouldn't fully understand her explanation anyway. So instead he fired off even more questions for her to answer: What was it like being a genie? Who was her favorite master? What did the inside of the bottle look like? How did she even fit in there?

And so the pair talked for hours, or more like Miyako talked for hours while Gaara just listened, mesmerized.

It was only when he ran out of questions and they were lying in the sand side by side looking at the big, bright moon that Gaara actually contemplated wishing.

What did he want? Well…if he had to think about it, he wanted most to be normal, to be looked upon by the villagers not with contempt, but with joy, or at least contentment if he couldn't have that.

Yes, that's what he should wish for, for the monster inside him to be extinguished and for him to finally have a normal life-

'I'm not a monster…' His earlier thoughts rang in his head.

That's right, he wasn't a monster, he was just Gaara, he wasn't ugly or evil or inhumane, everyone just misunderstood him, no one bothered to look past what their ears told them and actually look at _Gaara._

That's what he needed, someone to understand him, someone who actually cared! He needed someone to talk to like he had talked to Miyako-chan tonight, what he needed was-

"I know what I want to wish for!" Gaara said abruptly around midnight, startling the drifting genie awake.

"Yes, little master." She was immediately all business again; snapping a composed mask over her sleepy face.

He composed his thoughts carefully, thinking of how to word his wish so it would not be misconstrued.

'I know that Miyako-chan wouldn't try any loopholes on me, but from what I've read on mythical-or erm, other creatures, genies tend to take things quite literally."

"I wish you to be my friend and companion, to always be by my side and always try your very best to understand me." Gaara finally said, grinning at his craftiness.

Miyako stifled her surprise with an air of coolness. 'What an interesting wish…" She mused to herself. 'And the way he worded it, even if I desired to, I could find barely any loopholes to work with in that statement. Smart kid.'

"As you wish it master, so it will be." Miyako bowed low to the ground from her kneeling position, before her eyes shone a bright purple and dark purple magic collected, surrounding her and enveloping her in what looked like a tight cocoon.

Gaara watched, stupefied as she disappeared inside the magic, wondering what on earth she could be conjuring up at his simple request.

He waited by the cocoon, not daring to even touch it or breath on it for fear that it might disrupt the magic.

Finally the purple magic started to dim, and then slowly blacken, making Gaara flip out.

'Ah! What if she died? What if it went wrong? What if I wished for something bad? Is she breathing? Should I break it open?' His sand was swirling madly at the direction of his thoughts as he hyperventilated unseeingly, unaware that the magic cocoon had broken open and released it captive already.

"Gaara?" A smaller version of a sweet voice murmured, curiously looking at the worried child.

"Gaara?" A little girl, with a dark skirt adorned with golden beads, a tiny bikini top with golden studs and her long, curly hair, tied up with a dark piece of fabric, started to shake the little boy gingerly on the shoulder.

The sand grabbed at her harshly, but loosened its grip at the feel of her small hand and continued to let her prod at Gaara.

Eventually he snapped out of his trance at his insistent poking, gasping at how close her face was to his face.

"Who-?"

"It's me, silly!" The little girl giggled as Gaara scooted back from her, looking her over.

"M-Miyako-chan?" He stuttered at her new appearance, slightly confused.

"Yeah! This is what you wished for, remember?" She continued to giggle at his disbelief.

"Y-you're-"

"Are you alright now?" She asked quietly, suddenly next to him, rubbing a small hand through his fiery mane.

He blushed and jerked out of her soothing embrace, "You're face is uncovered!" He exclaimed.

"Well, friends can't hide their faces from each other, now can they?" She loped back over to Gaara and grabbed his hand.

"Let's go play!" She grinned widely, showing off large pearly teeth, and pulled Gaara away from the alley and out into the village.

For some reason Gaara's mind was not registering the word "play" as he had more objections to make. "B-but, the villagers-"

"Are not awake right now." She finished with a large grin. "Are you a chicken Gaara? Don't worry, I'll protect you." Miyako teased, before running off, a big smile on her face.

It was then that Gaara realized, his wish had really come true, this was all really happening, and Miyako wanted to play with him, another person wanted to play with him, and that's all he needed to know.

"Last one to that sand hill's a rotten egg!" He cried, using his sand to get a bit of leverage over the giggling girl.

And they played the whole night away.


	2. Believe and you shall Receive

A/N: I'm so excited about the feedback guys! Thanks a ton, just to highlight some of the first few _awesome_ reviewers I had:

XxCupcakeAssassinxX: You rock darling, hands down, for being the first reviewer! Here's a virtual cupcake, please assassinate it the right way, by scarfing it down.

.Master: Good, please continue to be fired up, it keeps me fired up! Yeah!

IzzyWhitlockHale: I will try my best to update as fast as possible, for I too am excited.

And last but not least, Shadow-Ninja-Captain69: Love your Gaara pic, did you do that yourself? The sweetness will only continue to come my dear, rest assured.

Alright enough of my babbling, let's get down to the real business, the story!

2: Believe and you shall receive

The bell to release was like heaven as it chimed, once, twice, and then the third and last time. By the first bell of course, everyone was out their seats, cheering wildly and making their way to the door, by the second bell said students were out the door, and by the third bell the school was almost entirely cleared.

Feet trampled away from Konohagakure's International Academy for Exceptional Young Ninja at ninja speeds, leaving behind dust trails as they went home to social life; to freedom. From one of the schools windows a young man looked down scowling, his fiery red hair alit with the sun's relentlessly shining rays.

How he wished he could be down there instead of stuck in here with these annoyances constantly saying:

"Gaara?"

He had to restrain himself from shooting his sand to grasp at one said annoyance's throat, for killing his sister would not look good, even if it would make him feel better.

He turned around from the window to find everyone looking at him both curiously and nervously, stiffening at his glare and deepening scowl.

"I'm listening." He snapped, turning around to face them fully in his chair, albeit reluctantly, where he began to glare at his instructor to continue.

Baki cleared his throat accordingly, "Yes, well then, Temari you will…" And he continued to babble on, not that Gaara was _really _listening than he was glaring at nothing in particular, besides, it's not like he really needed to be there.

He, his brother Kankuro and his sister Temari, had joined Konoha International only a month before, under the pretense that their own school did not have enough knowledge to teach the bright Kazekage children. Really they were there to gather information about Konoha, as well as the other Shinobi that attended the school from different countries, so that they could plan their invasion attack accordingly.

Yes, Gaara's home country, Sunagakure, was planning to take over Konohagakure with a massive attack, and he was the central weapon.

He realized that their initial successful infiltration of Konoha wasn't the only part of the plan, but he already understood what _he_ had to do, so what was the point of going to these pointless meetings?

'There isn't one,' he easily concluded, 'I already know that I am merely their tool; their monster that will simply serve them and their selfish desires. They fear me constantly but when it pleases them they use me for what I was created for: to be the ultimate weapon, how I would just like to crush them all.'

Gaara turned back to the window, looking out to the endless sun and the lingering souls still on school grounds. He instantly frowned as he saw bright blonde hair, cobalt eyes, and, was that his annoying grating voice Gaara was hearing even inside these thick walls?

There was only one name for this menace, a name that Gaara loathed and cursed since the day he had met the obnoxious blonde.

Uzumaki Naruto.

All the others he could stand, that other bubbly vain blonde, the lazy spikey haired supposed genius, the jelly roll who ate too much, the green spandex wearing idiot, his panda haired friend and their bastard of a blind looking teammate. He could stand sunglasses and stuttering Hyuga and her their mutt of a teammate, and he wasn't talking about the dog, he could stand the bubblegum haired girl with the wide forehead, hell he could even stand that ice-prince prick Uchiha, but he could never, _ever_, be alone with that moronic blonde for more than a few minutes, the redhead swore he was going to rip the child to pieces one day.

Ah, but that would blow their cover.

Currently the idiot was speaking to bubblegum hair and Uchiha, probably raving about some new ramen flavor that he had tried, while giant forehead tried to get prick's attention, which was clearly not working.

His scowl deepened, oh how he loathed these Konoha people, it would almost be a pleasure to be used to bring an end to their constant smiling faces and yapping. It's like they knew he hated it and just did it to rub it in his face. Their foolish friendships and that stupid "will of fire" phrase that old, idiot of a Hokage was always spouting just made Gaara's blood and sand boil with hatred.

Scratch that, he didn't just want to kill the blonde; he wanted to kill this whole stinking village.

God, why did they feel the need to protect each other to the point of self- sacrifice anyway? So they could put their _loved ones_ into state of depression and revenge driven self-sacrifice too? Gaara didn't understand, and he highly doubted he ever would, for Gaara lived by one rule, a rule taught to him by many years of being alone and hated, of being shunned by all, even his own family.

He was the only thing that mattered in his world, others did not need protection because if they could not protect themselves then they were useless, so he loved only himself and he lived only for himself alone.

Yet as he looked back out over the entrance to Konoha International, he couldn't help but scowl at the trio as they departed, looking mostly content, if not happy. He felt a burning, unidentifiable emotion claw at his heart that only made his scowl deepen as their smiling faces burned into his memory. They danced mockingly around images of his childhood, and the emotion burned deeper.

He needed to be alone, these stupid thoughts were getting to him, and if he showed any signs of distress they'd never leave him alone, even if he threatened him. So he abruptly left in a swirl of sand that carried him away from their alarmed shouts and the calling of his name.

The sand transported him to his room in the hotel they were staying at; right on top of the bed he never slept in. He sat quietly on the bed, staring unseeingly out the large window beside his bed as the sun's rays started to fade over the horizon.

Alone, what did Konoha Shinobi know about being alone? He would bet that none of them had ever felt a fraction of the pain that he felt. The Uchiha was the closest to knowing his pain, about how he felt on the inside; after all he had no family left, but he still only knew so little about how real pain felt; how Gaara felt.

He knew not of what it was like to be a monster, none of them did, and they were all blissfully unaware of what was among them. So why did they get to prance around with friendships, and goals, and dreams and…**happiness** when Gaara got nothing? Nothing but himself, and a worthless village that the elders and his father insisted he _protects_. To hell with all of them! If he could he would destroy them too! All of them! They were all worthless and only good enough for Gaara to prove his existence with.

He often wondered what if would've been like if he hadn't been _gifted_ with the Shukaku at an early age, or even at all. Would he have friends, a loving family, happiness?

He narrowed his eyes at these thoughts, his sand starting to swirl violently as he grew angrier and yet more resigned.

'_No,_' He thought, _'I am but a ninja, a tool, and a monster that will serve the village that shuns me._'

Though the voice inside his head sounded monotonous and disinterested, the sand had started to fling around objects in the room in pure rage and anger. It tore his pillow into pieces, it broke the lamp on his bedside table, it them wrecked the bedside table, the desk, and the mini fridge until they were but shavings and mechanical parts on the floor. While this was happening Gaara simply lied down on his bed, still staring out the window as the last rays of the sun died.

'_I wish that there was someone out there who understands my pain, my life, _me.'

** "Gaara!" **

**Footsteps echoed on wooden floors as a little girl made her way down dark and empty hallways**

** "Gaara? Are you here?" **

** The little girl passed by one of the many tall windows of the Kazekage mansion, the dim moonlight illuminating her dark clad frame and accentuating olive toned skin. Yashamaru had been kind enough to give her some money so she could buy Gaara a gift for his birthday that was today, that's why she had a long, slim box in her hands that was neatly wrapped-by the store clerk, not her- with brown and red silk cloths. He had said they'd be celebrating Gaara's birthday inside the ballroom and would be waiting for her return, but the room had been strangely empty when she'd arrived back, so she started looking around for the two in all their favorite places, the kitchen, Gaara's room, Yashamaru's room, her temporary guest room, but they had all been the same: empty. **

** Now she was aimlessly wandering, calling out for them while she thought of the place that they could be. **

** She sighed after minutes more of looking, and slid down to the floor in frustration, setting Gaara's present gingerly in her lap. **

** Where could they be? She turned her face up to the window, basking in the streaming moonlight that only seemed to grow stronger with her waning ideas, as if to mock her. **

** She smiled though, Gaara loved the moon and its light, and they would often spend many a sleepless night on top of the roof, just watching the moon, occasionally they would talk, but most of the time they would just sit there and just watch the moon shine, communicating without words. **

** "Aha!" She exclaimed suddenly, hopping up and quickly dashing to the stairs that would lead her to the roof. **

** "I'm so stupid sometimes." She murmured to herself as she rushed up the stairs, hoping she hadn't missed too much of the festivities. **

** Finally she made it to the door that led to the roof, her excitement swelling with the thought of celebrating her best friend's sixth birthday and all the fun they would have and all the cookies Yashamaru surely made for the occasion that they would eat until they were sick.**

** Her thoughts continued in this direction as she pulled the door to the roof open with a mighty jerk and yelled:**

** "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAA-"**

** Her eyes widened as shock lumped into her throat, cutting her off. **

** Oh yes, Gaara and Yashamaru were there, but it wasn't to celebrate a birthday party like she expected. Gaara was standing many feet away from Yashamaru, who was seated, bleeding profusely as he leaned heavily against the ledge of their roof. **

** She would've worried and fretted for Yashamaru, if he hadn't been strapped with several pounds of explosives. And then suddenly she understood, just as understanding crossed Gaara's tear-stained face. **

** Yashamaru had always treated her as if she were a third wheel, always kept her at arms- length though he masked it with the farce of caring, and she had fell for it. Yashamaru knew what she was, she was sure of it now; she had always had her suspicions but there was no other explanation for what was happening now, Yashamaru had clearly seen her for the threat she was, that's why he had always insisted on a curfew time where she had to "go home", of course she would always sneak back after he had fallen asleep, and why he had always made **_**her**_** run any errands he had forgotten to complete, or made up practically **_**any excuse**_** to make sure she was away from Gaara as much as possible. He had been planning this from the very beginning, anticipating that she would get in the way of any of his plans. How many times had he tried to kill Gaara before now without him even knowing? How many times had she been gone away while he was? **

** She had really thought that Yashamaru was Gaara's salvation, one of the few ****real**** friends he would have, but she had been blinded to the truth, and now she had let **_**this**_** happen. Sure they had had to deal with many other assassins before, but those were all strangers, thugs hired by his bastard of a father that hadn't even come close, and every single attempt she and Yashamaru would be there, to comfort the distraught Gaara and cheer him from his dark thoughts. **

** This was the ultimate betrayal. **

** Although Gaara could not be killed with explosives and this encounter would only be another added failure to his father's list of failures, this assassination might actually accomplish one thing: breaking Gaara. **

** She completely missed everything that Yashamaru said to Gaara in her musings, but she did not miss when he set the bomb off. **

**Her magic reacted instantly, covering Gaara's already impenetrable sand wall with a thick layer of hard purple light, and that's when Yashamaru lit up like a firework at the Summer Festival. **

** She waited until the smoke and dust settled before removing her shield and carefully stepping towards the remains. **

** There were none, whatever Yashamaru had packed on him left nothing but a scorch mark around the chunk of roof he had taken with him in death. **

** She forced her eyes to look away from the gore and to the distressed Gaara, who was still crying heavily behind his sand wall. **

** "Gaara?" She stepped even more cautiously towards the redhead, her present still clutched between tiny hands, only slightly ruffled from the abuse.**

** He sobbed quietly as she finally reached him; kneeling down beside she began to stroke his tiny head soothingly. **

** She didn't say anything, she knew no whispered words of comfort would hlp this situation, this case wasn't like all the others; those people weren't like Yashamaru.**

** She had to hand it to him though, if there was any way to go about killing someone who was practically untouchable, that would be the way to do it, by being cunning, deceptive and manipulative to the point where they thought they were safe around you, that they actually trusted you. **

** After a long while he stilled, but she still waited; it was highly unlikely that he would listen to anything she said anyway. **

** So many things could've been said she knew, but so many of those things could also set Gaara off, and so she waited for him to take the first swing.**

** He did, and she instantly regretted it.**

** "Why?" He finally choked through silent tears.**

** "Why what?" She mumbled.**

** "Why was I brought into this world?" He raised his head from his folded arms, training piercing sea foam eyes on dark purple ones.**

** She knew what this was about, he blamed himself. "Gaara-"She started soothingly.**

** "Answer me!" He demanded, shakily.**

** "Gaara, Yashamaru deceived you, you can't blame yourself for something that isn't your fault-"**

** "It is! I killed my mother, **_**his sister**_**!" He cried. "He had every right to try to kill me!"**

** "Gaara no!" She gripped his shoulders firmly. "You had no control over that, how could you have stopped something that was inevitable?" **

** "Maybe I am a monster." He whispered into his knees, avoiding her gaze.**

** "You are not." She shook him lightly so that he would look up at her again.**

** "All I've done since I've entered this world is kill and destroy, how can you say that?" He rebuked hollowly.**

** "That's not you, Gaara that's Shukaku; you're not the same as him." **

** "The Shukaku was put inside me **_**after**_** I killed my mother." **

** "That was an accident-"She tried.**

** "HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?" He thundered as he leapt up, smacking her hands away and training crazed eyes onto her pleading form.**

** "I understand you!" She hollered back, leaping up as well to stare him deeply in the eyes.**

** "Only because I wished for you to." He bit venomously, making her reel backwards in shock.**

** "Gaara, don't start." She warned, purple eyes misting as he continued to glare at her.**

** "You're no different than Yashamaru!" He accused.**

** "I would never hurt you Gaara, you know that!" She didn't even try to hide the hurt she felt as her voice shook and the roles reversed and twisted themselves.**

** "Why? Because you care, or is it because you're not allowed to, **_**because you can't-"**_

** "It doesn't matter which! I wouldn't ever, period! Please, Gaara, **_**you know me.**_**"**

** "I only know what you've told me, I only know that this is all something I've created in my mind! Yashamaru wasn't my real friend and neither are you!" **

** By now Gaara was screaming at her, pointing accusingly while she kneeled in front of him sobbing and bowing lowly to the ground, clutching her chest and the present to her as if she was in pain. **

** "Gaara, ****please****." She begged, her stomach sinking as the accusing words took on an ominous tone. She had no idea what she was even begging for, forgiveness, his understanding, his companionship? All she knew was that he had fallen into a dark place and that she feared he would do something drastic and rash, starting with somehow getting rid of her. **

** "None of this would've happened if I hadn't been born! Everyone would be happy and I wouldn't have to feel this pain!" He suddenly looked pointedly at her after this statement and if anything she cried much harder.**

** "I won't do it." She sobbed, shaking her head rapidly. **

** "Why not?" He hissed, crouching down to her level; shaking her.**

** "**_**I can't!" **_**She shouted, meeting his eyes, though the teary haze made it hard to see.**

** He got up slowly, silently, while she continued to sob and started to pace.**

** "Fine." He grunted, his mind thinking rapidly. **

** "I'll be there monster; I'll be everything they expect of me."**

** "Gaara, no." She whispered. "You're only a monster if you say you are, please don't give in." **

** He ignored her, still pacing, his mind warping with the direction of his thoughts. **

** "No one will have to further pretend to love me, because I will love only myself, and live only for myself." He then started to practice the mantra, testing it on his tongue and liking the taste.**

** She crawled toward Gaara, still weeping heavily. "No Gaara, please, ****I love you****!" She cried.**

** He could only ignore her until she started to clutch onto his clothes, begging him like she'd never begged anyone before, refusing to let go even as he started to violently shake and hit her over the head, all the while she kept repeating the same mantra to him: **_**I love you.**_

** "Would you stop, quit your pretending; you're lying!" He gave a powerful shove that sent her careening off of him and onto the cold stone roof, but regardless of the pain she wouldn't stop and she still had his present tucked into her hand. **

** "I don't need you! I don't need anybody!"**

** She continued to sob out the phrase until it became indiscernible through her wailing.**

** "I live only for myself and love only myself, and that includes no room for you."**

** She managed to stop sobbing long enough to choke out between her tears: **

** "I'll follow you." **

** "What?" He demanded coldly.**

** "You can't get rid of me, so I'll follow you, whether you want me to or not." She uncurled from her ball to glare at him defiantly. **

** "No." He denied.**

** "I will." She shot back just as coolly, though her face was still tear stained and her eyes still watered, belying her true feelings.**

** "I won't let you." He growled, thinking of ways to get rid of her.**

** His sand reacted instantly, moving to attack her, but as soon as it touched her skin it flattened and instead made to caress her instead. **

** Gaara frowned, for he already knew that his sand would be useless against her, it was something he'd discovered long ago, he debated that it was something about her, her magic probably, but even then didn't it live to serve him?**

** Wait.**

** "I wish…" He trailed off, and found that he enjoyed the way that she stiffened a lot more than he thought he would.**

** He had to think this over, they were both far too intelligent for their age, she because she was God knows how many years old and he because tortured lives in the Shinobi world typically equaled drowning yourself in knowledge to figure out what was wrong with you. **

** "No, Gaara-"**

** How many times had she said that? How many times had she pleaded? He found that he enjoyed it. **

** "I wish that you were back in that bottle and that you can't come out, ever!" **

** Before she could even utter another plea, glowing black magic shot from the wrapped box in her hand, wrapping itself around her wrists in a manacle like fashion. **

** "As you so wish it, it must be." Her voice was oddly flat despite her body language, the despairing face, the struggling body; the betrayed looking eyes.**

** Gaara wondered if he looked like that when Yashamaru blew himself up. **

** That was the last thing Miyako Kurosawa saw of Sabaku No Gaara, a look of wonderment mixed with disturbed delight.**

A loud gasp sounded in one of the rooms of the Kazekage mansion, and echoed out from there.

The origin of the noise was now panting softly and from there the sound can be traced to inside Sabaku No Gaara's room.

Turn the knob and open the door and you will find quite a strange sight indeed. The neatly made bed that's also just a little dusty, and rest of the particularly untouched state of the room isn't the weirdest part, no, it's the female lying near the oak shelf.

Many might assume she was simply an enemy ninja that had broken into the Kazekage mansion, but the girl, or more like teenager knew better.

Other strange things in the room included a small black beaded necklace with what looked like a black bottle with tiny gold patterns on it that was overturned on the shelf, the top of the bottle uncorked and the opening still spewing out with looked to be black smoke.

The smoke was spilling on the teenagers head, but they didn't seem to mind, nor did they seem to care, as they were too busy curling into the fetal position and shaking to notice.

The teenage girl had long, curly black hair that fell to her waist when it was tied up in a high ponytail with dark silk. Her skin was an olive tone that stretched evenly over her long, svelte arms, down a perfectly curved back and followed the same pattern on shapely legs.

She uncurled from her position, showing a tear streaked face that threatened to glisten with more, her large dark purple eyes misting dangerously. The skin of her face was just as olive as the rest of her body, the only difference in color was dull white teeth poking out to bit a full, quivering pink lip.

The olive tone traveled down her neck, disappeared in a golden studded black bikini top, and then reappeared on a toned stomach before teasing the viewer behind a bikini bottom and a sheer black skirt that fell to the girls knees.

"Just…"She finally gasped through the violent shaking of her body, "a memory." She looked around in surprise, slowly getting up as she started to recognize her surroundings.

"No…it can't be, but-"She slowly spun in a circle, taking in everything until she got to the shelf.

She gasped in surprise yet again at the sight of an old, worn teddy bear sitting beside the necklace on the shelf.

"It is, but where is Gaara?" She wondered aloud, gingerly picking up the otherwise untouched necklace and using her index finger to wipe the thin layer of dust covering the item.

She found the tiny top on the floor and capped the small item, tucking it into her bra for safekeeping. She wondered what could've been powerful enough to summon her from the bottle without Gaara being anywhere around.

It obviously wasn't another person, because she didn't detect or see anyone else either, so it had to be him, but where was he?

'Well it's time to find out now isn't it?' And the dream now fully out of her mind, she set about doing just that.

Guys, that was long, I expect at least 6 more reviews for that one. Is that too much to ask? Tell you what, you give me five more reviews and I'll update faster, say by Wednesday? Thursday at the latest? Tell me that doesn't sound just dandy.

Well, adieu for now my lovelies

Some Fun Acronym


	3. Cause and Effect

A/N: Whooo! Reviews! I love them, they are like my food. ;)

Thanks to Song of the Night: I'm very glad you love my story, love like that is what keeps me alive.

And also to my veterans!

.Master, Shadow-Ninja-Captain69,XxCupcakeAssassinxX: You guys rock. End of discussion.

Um, nothing really to say about this one except that I expect it to be long, so be prepared.

Oh, and I finished early, so here's a reward, an early chapter! I hope to see a reward for me too, considering I'm such a kind author, right? Right? Anyways.

Cause and Effect

Finding Gaara wasn't the hard part, in fact it was the easy part, but getting to him was an entirely different and hard part.

It occurred to her, as she set about travelling from the Sand village to the Leaf village, that Gaara must have made a wish, for there was no other logical explanation as to why she was suddenly freed from a place she had been banished to, as six year old Gaara had said: **that she couldn't come out of, **_**ever.**_

'Yet,' she thought as she tied on her newly acquired Suna headband around her neck, 'I'm here, weak and somehow steadily grower weaker, but here.'

She recalled a conversation she had once had with her mentor and keeper Hideaki of the Order of Magic and Services, O.M.S. He had said when he was training her that all that mattered from that point onward was the will and beliefs of her master; without those beliefs she was nothing, quite literally.

Long story short, she could barely walk now because Gaara hardly believed in her anymore, or even the existence of magic. If you didn't believe in magic, magic couldn't work for you, it's a proven fact, just ask all the unsatisfied shooting star wishers.

It would get better as she progressively got closer to his location, after all the closer you are to your master the better Hideaki always said, but she wouldn't be able to operate at her full strength until he believed in her again.

Just the thought of it made Miyako sigh, for she knew and understood her master enough to know that she couldn't just waltz into Konoha International, confront him and that he'd just believe her right off the bat. Hell, she'd be lucky if he even recognized her, let alone that she used to be his best and only friend that granted his every whim and desire even without magic.

After she had successfully "borrowed" the Suna headband, a few pairs of less revealing clothing and some travelling supplies she was off into the desert.

G / M

By the time she reached the Konoha gates she felt exponentially better, so good in fact that she easily used her magic to hypnotize the guards into believing she was there for the Chuunin exams under Suna's command.

After receiving their very helpful instructions to the campus she began to work out a ruse to get inside. While hypnosis was easiest she couldn't very well hypnotize all the staff into believing she was actually a student, she could've if Gaara believed in her a little more, but then again if he had she wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place.

She used the same technique on the guards to the front door, who also gladly gave her instructions to the front office where she could from there apply to be admitted, which is exactly, she feared, what she had to do.

The front office was a few paces from the large, wooden double doors. Glass walls allowed the viewer a look inside, that is, if the walls weren't shaded like these were. In the very center of the large structure there was another set of double doors, also a light wood, with one guard standing at the ready.

"What business do you have with the Headmaster?" The dark clad man in a porcelain mask that looked to have the features of a lion, demanded.

The Headmaster, she deduced, must've also been the current Hokage of the village, also that this guard had to be an ANBU black ops, and the Hokage's right hand ANBU black ops, if he was allowed to guard him.

Thinking quickly, she produced a scroll from the inside of her dark purple backpack that she had "borrowed" and presented it to the ANBU.

"This scroll from Kazekage-sama will explain my presence to the Headmaster." She added a little bow for more formality.

"Very well," He relented after observing the scroll carefully. "I will lead you to the Headmaster's office."

"Arigato." She gave a shallow bow once again and they were off.

Miyako was relieved when the doors slid open and light greeted her. It was coming from overhead and stretched along a long hallway that they began to walk briskly down.

The walk was mostly silent, and if Miyako had been anyone else she might've been suspicious and intimidated, but as it was she was too busy getting engrossed in the details of the space around her.

They soon stopped at the very end of the hall where one tall intricately carved door lied with a golden knob just begging to be turned.

The ANBU knocked for them and an old voice quickly answered back: "Come in Lion."

Lion opened the door, which was probably a good thing because she it was best she not touch anything, and escorted her inside where he presented her to the Hokage.

"Headmaster, this is another ninja from Sunagakure; she bears a scroll from the Kazekage."

She really was only half listening to the introduction as she took in the office of the Hokage while at the same time still feigning interest. Said office was neutral, with a bland off-white paint color, a few potted plants decorating the corners, a tan carpet that matched the walls and living furniture that matched the color on the far side of the room near the entirely glass wall that looked out over a whole garden that Miyako was sure would be breathtaking if she just got to look at it a little longer.

"Headmaster." She bowed lowly as was appropriate.

The Headmaster gave a smile that lifted the wrinkles of his old face and changed Miyako's impression of him instantly. He had at first looked powerful and distant behind that magnificent cherry oak desk neatly stacked with documents. He had at first looked uncaring leaning casually back in that dark brown leather chair, a pipe dangling languidly from his thin lips as lazy trails of smoke looped in the air. She had expected him to look stuck up what with his formal Hokage robes draping over his fit, but ancient frame, one hand toying needlessly with his Hokage hat.

But when he gave that smile he wasn't anything like she expected anymore.

She supposed that she had an opaque view when it came to village leaders, after all she had only been around the Sabaku tyrant all throughout her "childhood" and so that was all she could remember.

Of course she had had other masters, who served other villages that had had other Kages, she had just never had a master that lived so closely and personally with a Kage until Gaara, and even if they did she never got to see them up close.

"Welcome, what is your name, child?" He had a sort of gravelly voice, but she figured that was from age.

"Miyako Maki." She answered obediently, although half of it was a lie.

"Welcome to Konoha International Maki-san, May I see the scroll now?" His voice was very warm, and she liked it, even though the ends of it had a rough and worn edge.

"Yes, Headmaster." She politely handed over the scroll to the stock still ANBU who then handed it over to the Hokage.

She watched as he broke the seal, and waited as he read the text. She had tried to make absolutely sure that she had gotten the Kazekage's hand writing down to a T from how she remembered it. The whole entire idea was a risk considering she had no idea who the current Kazekage was, but if she was correct in her assumption that the Sand siblings had been the only team sent because of the fact that their father still ruled over Suna, then the Hokage would surely let her be admitted.

"I see, so you were sent as guard then?" The Hokage murmured, eyeing Miyako over the document.

"Hai, the Kazekage values his children very much." She dipped her head in acknowledgement.

"Interesting that he says he doesn't want them to be aware of it though." The Hokage mumbled to himself as he rolled the parchment back up and handed it off to the ANBU.

Miyako shrugged, playing innocent.

"Very well, you may be admitted into this school under those circumstances."

Miyako bowed deeply again, "Thank you Headmaster."

"However," Miyako paused mid bow, schooling her face as she looked up at the now grinning Hokage from under her eyelashes.

"We must test your abilities first, it is a standard procedure for anyone looking to be admitted, a final test of sorts."

On the inside Miyako was hyperventilating, she didn't know anything about being a ninja! She only retained the little she'd learned with Gaara at the academy in Suna. And it wasn't as if she could perform any jutsus or, heaven forbid, fight in hand to hand combat!

By the look on the Hokage's face she felt as if she would have to do all that and more if she wanted to get anywhere near Gaara and she sighed internally at her rotten luck.

'The things I do for my masters.' Luckily she was a good actress, so the Hokage saw none of this, only a painfully bright smile and the words:

"Great, when do I begin?"

G /M

She began that day, during what the Hokage called "Elite Gym Hour" which was code for everyone going to the Chuunin exam's gym hour. There, she was informed, she was to fight hand to hand with a randomly selected opponent in order to be admitted into that very same class.

She hoped she didn't have to fight Gaara, that would be near impossible, not because he was stronger than her, even though he kind of was, but because she wouldn't be able to fight back, because she really _couldn't_. She had at first hoped that he wouldn't even be in the same class as her, even though that would make her job so much easier, but she had already snooped around and checked the roster, and he was, dammit.

Right now they were just outside of the gym, the gym teacher- what was his name Maito Gai?- had been informed of her and Lion's upcoming presence and to announce their arrival to the other students.

This was just what Miyako feared, an audience. Sure if it had been just a few advisors and her and her opponent it would've been easy, a piece of cake perhaps for her to trick everyone into believing she was an actual ninja from Sunagakure, but she couldn't hypnotize as many people as she feared were in there!

Lion must've sensed her nervousness because he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, silently telling her that it would be okay. And when she looked into that fierce face of the lion's mask she believed it, even if it was the least calming looking mask she'd ever seen.

She was just beginning to wonder who could be behind the mask when a loud voice suddenly said:

"FIGHTING HER WAY INTO OUR YOUTHFUL ACADEMY IS THE LOVELY AND TALENTED MIYAKO MAKI!"

She looked over at Lion curiously during this manifestation and he said the first words she'd heard all day.

"That's Maito Gai."

She would've liked to stand there and look appropriately shocked but Lion pushed her quickly inside, his velvety smooth voice whispering the last words she would ever hear from him in a mocking quality:

"Good luck."

Then he abandoned her, shutting the metallic doors with a loud thump the resounded throughout the quiet room.

Ah, that's what was wrong with this picture, the quiet room.

She immediately stiffened upon realizing that everything was silent, and if her senses were correct, there should be at least a hundred people in the room with her, so why was it **so quiet. **

She slowly turned to face the crowd, finding every pair of eyes on her, some curious, some lecherous, some just down right creepy.

Was it her outfit? She had put on some black leggings underneath her skirt and a long sleeved fishnet top over her bikini so it wouldn't be _quite_ so inappropriate.

She checked her feet, because she knew that she sometimes forgot to put on shoes, but found that her feet were clothed with black closed toed flats. So why were they looking at her so strangely?

Maybe it was her scarf? She tugged on the silken fabric covering the bottom half of her face and draping over her shoulders down to her waist. Perhaps they doubted she was from Suna because she wore so much clothing? Wait, did they even know she was from Suna?

"PLEASE DO NOT BE SHY MOST YOUTHFUL CANDIDATE!" The booming voice from earlier said, breaking Miyako free from her trance.

"Oh, sorry." She murmured, carefully stepping towards the towering male.

Maito Gai, as she presumed him to be, was a bowl-cut styled, green spandex and orange leg warmer wearing nightmare, with the thickest eyebrows and shiniest teeth Miyako had ever seen in her life. She had to look everywhere but at him due to the sheer fact that she would go blind if he flashed those teeth at her any longer.

Finally she reached his hopping madness, who sort of settled down from his giga-watt stance to greet her.

"WELCOME! I AM MAITO GAI, THE INSTRUCTOR OF THIS MOST YOUTHFUL CLASS OF ELITE GENIN!" He all but shouted in her ear, taking on that ridiculous stance again and nearly blinding her.

"Hi…" She greeted, looking above his head so she wouldn't see spots. "I'm Miyako Maki, now where's this opponent so that I can get this over with?" She tried to ask as politely as possible.

"SO YOUTHFUL!" Gai exclaimed with hearts and stars in his eyes, patting Miyako on the back heartily who almost tripped and fell on her face. "THE LOVELY FLOWER IS READY TO FIGHT!YOSH!" He then bowed shallowly to her, extending his hand and his smile once again.

Miyako took it, only because she was afraid of what he would do if she didn't, and schooled herself from jumping when a loud whirring sounded below her.

"YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME MIKA-SAN, THIS LAST MONTH IS SPENT PREPARING THE STUDENTS FOR THE CHUUNIN EXAM ENVIRONMENT, AND SO WE DO A LOT OF SPARRING IN DIFFERENT FIELDS WHERE POTENTIAL EXAMS MAY BE HELD!" Gai explained over the noise as he escorted her further into the field, which only seemed to get louder.

It finally stopped after a few moments and Mika opened her eyes that she hadn't even known she'd shut to find that she was now looking level with some of the students rather than up at them.

"What-?" Her eyes widened as she looked down, the playing field having changed drastically.

Instead of smooth even ground that she had been standing on before, she was now on a round pillar that rose thirty feet into the air, and when she looked around, several pillars of different sizes and heights were all around her.

"THE COMPUTER WILL NOW CHOOSE A RANDOM OPPONENT!" Gai announced from his pillar that was twenty feet away from her to both her and the students, who finally decided to make a loud cheer of agreement.

'Please don't be Gaara, please don't be Gaara.' She chanted; looking at the large screen on the wall in front of her hopefully.

It wasn't Gaara, but it wasn't anyone who would make her deflate in a relieved sigh either.

She tried desperately to make the screen read something else by staring at it hard and long, but no matter how she squinted or tried to read it, it stayed the same.

Uchiha Sasuke.

'I can't decide if this is better or worse than getting Gaara.'

No, she did not personally know Uchiha Sasuke, why would she? The only people she had ever even known in this lifetime were Gaara and maybe Yashamaru, the latter being dead. So you ask why is she so nervous about facing off against Sasuke Uchiha?

Simple, because she'd known the Uchiha nearly all her life.

She'd been around when the rules of kingdoms had started to wane and mercenary clans had come into power, she wasn't necessarily supposed to be, but she had been. She had no problems with this; after all there wasn't anything that she could do, that is until she got pulled personally into a clan war.

She'd never taken sides when she had been with other masters, whatever clan would protect her master's was the clan that she preferred, but it was when the Senju had first gotten a hold of her that she realized how bloody and bad mercenary clans could be.

The Senju's rivals were the Uchiha and vice versa, she'd never been afraid of the Senju when she was the servant of one of their lower members, but she had certainly developed a fear of the Uchiha when she'd been a part of that first battle.

That battle was one of the reasons she did not enjoy fighting, especially not the Uchiha, and the Sharingan was only one of numerous reasons.

She remained as stoic as possible as Sasuke, pale skin, dark hair, dark eyes and all, made his way down from the stands to face her, a cocky grin in place, another trademark of the Uchiha.

Half the stands, which was mostly the female population, starting cheering for the Uchiha's victory while the more male population only grumbled a few praises and occasionally booed.

"ARE YOU READY MY LOVELY FLOWER!" Gai called from his pillar, which led Miyako to assume he was speaking to her.

**No.** "Yes."

"ARE YOU READY MY MOST YOUTHFUL STUDENT!"

"Just start the match already Gai-sensei." Sasuke grumbled from his pillar directly ten feet in front of her, crossing his arms when his command was not immediately met.

"BEGIN!"

G /M

"Psst."

The stands were relatively quiet as the match between the new Miyako girl and Sasuke began, which is why Temari had to resort to hiss-whispering to get her brother's attention. She gave up after the fifth attempt and instead moved on to the more effective method, prodding.

"Ow!" Her cat hooded brother hissed, glaring daggers at his annoyed looking older sister.

"What?" He whispered harshly when she did nothing but silently glare at him.

"Did you see that girl's headband?" Temari illustrated by pointing to said dark haired girl.

"No, why?"

"It's a Suna headband; she's from our home country!"

"Are you sure?" Kankuro inquired, unconvinced.

Instead of verbally answering she yanked her brother's head forward and to the direction of the girl, though it was hard to see with her bouncing around all over the place avoiding Sasuke.

"I can't see it." He growled, batting away her hands.

"Who do you think sent her?" Temari asked instead.

"How should I know?"

"It doesn't seem right to me." Temari huffed.

"It can't be too bad if father signed off on it, so what are you worried about?"

"But wouldn't he have told us?" Temari argued.

Kankuro snorted softly and so Temari sighed in defeat; that answer being all she needed.

G /M

What age had Madara developed the Sharingan? At this moment Miyako couldn't remember as she dodged flurry of attack after flurry of attack.

Her primary concern was that Sasuke would suddenly pull out that Sharingan and she'd be defenseless prey in his hands. These fire jutsus he was firing off and skilled weapon handling were nothing compared to what those eyes could do to her, and that scared her into her current predicament.

"Hn, you're not even trying." Sasuke droned as Miyako put space between them once again.

She didn't answer; she was too caught up in staring into his eyes, which was the exact _opposite _to do if he was going to use the Sharingan. She almost wished he would just so she could fight something familiar, but if he was anything like Madara then she wouldn't even last a minute.

Thinking about Madara made her even more afraid, those red and black eyes haunting her every time she even blinked. Thinking also turned out to be a downfall of hers, as Sasuke easily leapt onto her pillar and nearly sliced her cheek off.

She stumbled as she dodged, her foot catching air. Her arms caught the ledge of the pillar before she could tumble to her foggy demise and she looked up just in time to see Sasuke's coal eyes peer over the ledge at her.

"That wasn't even a challenge, and you call yourself a ninja." He scoffed, leaning his body over the ledge superiorly.

Miyako would've glared and shot him a witty comeback with a good kick in the pants too if those eyes of his weren't coal that were threatening to turn into black and red wheels of death at any minute.

She was panting in hyperventilation just thinking about it, probably seeming like a frantic, weak and pathetic girl at this point, which only made Sasuke smirk and her inner voice scream in fury for having such a crippling weakness.

Amidst her delightful show of vulnerability, she caught eyes with the one person she had tried very hard not to look at this whole entire time.

Gaara was looking at her, no, staring at her, and suddenly everything else stopped mattering.

The stupid Uchiha and his stupidly powerful eyes, this test, all the other pairs of eyes staring at her, nothing else mattered.

His eyes were the same as she had remembered them, sea foam rimmed darkly due to insomnia that he couldn't get rid of no matter what he did. Some of his facial features were sharper, like his nose and his lips, no longer boyish and cute, but full and only steadily maturing. His hair was still as firehouse red as she remembered, although much longer, shaggier and unkempt than it used to be. His torso was filling out, though he was still just as skinny as he was when he was a child and his clothes were drastically darker than she remembered, though it oddly suited him.

God, why was her heart beating so fast at the sight of him? This was not a time for teenage hormones; Gaara was not important right now.

Oh wait, yes he was.

The only reason she was hanging off the side of this pillar was for _him_, the only reason she was facing against the Uchiha at all was for _him,_ the only reason she had manipulated and lied her way into this school was for _him_. So yes, Gaara did kind of matter to her, a lot.

But with the bored and almost disgusted way he was looking at her now, she hardly believed he felt even a fraction of the same way.

That was a difference, she never remembered him looking at her that way.

Although she also never remembered his eyes looking quite so cold either or his lips turned down in such a sour expression, and where had that kanji on his forehead come from, or that giant gourd on his back?

Yes, she realized, Gaara did matter to her very much, and one of the reasons she was even here was to help him remember the _he_ mattered to _her_, that she cared about him, that she understood him and that she _loved_ him.

Well maybe not the last part just yet.

Suddenly her predicament, her fear of the Uchiha and the hundreds of pairs of eyes watching her ceased to exist. She was here for Gaara and Gaara alone.

G /M

'This battle is pointless, Uchiha will win, and the girl isn't even trying to put up a fight. It's like she's afraid of him.' Gaara closed his eyes. 'What a stupid girl, I would give her something to really be afraid of.'

Gaara did not deny the Uchiha his strength, not at all, but-

'I am more powerful, once I destroy that Uchiha no one will be able to deny that fact, and my existence will be long proven until someone more powerful than even him peaks my interest.'

He debated going down there and killing the girl himself just to get this pathetic excuse for a match over with, no one would punish him and he doubted anyone would even care.

'Ah, but there's still the infiltration mission.' He thought darkly to himself. This stupid mission would be the death of someone, and it wasn't going to be him. Perhaps maybe Baki?

Anyway that wasn't the point, the point was that this battle should be over by now, the Uchiha was powerful enough to decimate that girl ages ago and now he was just wasting time dragging it on-

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shriek, and he grinned viciously as the girl finally slipped from her ledge and started to fall into the foggy abyss.

'Now that's more like it.'

G /M

Oh gracious. I hope she's not dead, that would kind of ruin the whole story now wouldn't it?

WHOOO! First cliff hanger, don't you all hate me? Maybe if you review I will update faster and tell you what happens to our poor Miyako, yes?

The choice is yours my pretties, I just hope you make the right one. (A dark ominous storm begins to form around you.)

Well, anyway, toodles!

.Acronym


	4. Differences

A/N: As Aforementioned, Reviews are food to me, yummy.

XxCupcakeAssassinxX: You're just great. And you'll just have to wait and see if our special friend Lion comes back.

.Master: Yeah, she did, doesn't that suck? The sneaking in part was my favorite too.

Just in case you alerters and followers are feeling unloved, I love you too, I just wish you would review me my peeps! Then your name would end up in the story and you'd feel all special 'cause you reviewed and then you would do it again and then a continual circle of happiness would ensue that wouldn't ever stop. Doesn't that just sound magnificent? Anyways…

It just occurred to me that I should put a disclaimer in here, because it's quite obvious that I don't own _Naruto _so…

Disclaimer: Hey, guess what? I don't own Naruto.

Whoo, glad that's over.

Onwards!

Differences

In an alternate universe, Miyako would've taken her "defeat" graciously and simply fallen into the foggy terrain without protest.

Unfortunately for Uchiha and the rest of those cheering fangirls, she had some Uchiha ass to kick and an anti-social master to care for.

She easily flipped her body once she was in the densest part of the fog, summoning her magic to levitate her close to the pillar's curved side and rapidly up out of the fog, though she was still out of sight of the rest of her soon to be classmates.

She silently thanked Gaara even though he had no idea he was helping her, being so close to him made using her magic much easier, though she was still at a mere tiny percent of her power due to the unfortunate circumstances, but who wants to dwell upon those?

She was just debating on how she should go about defeating the Uchiha, quickly, which would be the preferable method in her state, or torturously slow until they both reached their limits, which would not be preferable, although it would make her feel _very good_.

She couldn't decide until she heard his arrogant laughter and biting words:

"What a waste of effort, why would you give me such a weak opponent Gai-sensei?" He seemed to chastise egotistically; making Miyako's decision all the more easy.

She decided on a dramatic entrance, as she wanted to observe the reactions of her peers and delight in their shocked expressions. So she slowed her ascent, fanning out her arms until she reached a gentle float, she then unraveled her scarf from her face and breathed a purple mist from her mouth the made it glow the same ethereal purple as the manifested aura from her levitation and give it life.

As the students rose into view, she put her hands on her hips in a power stance, already feeling a grin form uninhibited on her face as their mouths dropped one by one.

"You know," she drawled, making Sasuke spin around in a very un-ninja like fashion.

"For an Uchiha you run your mouth _a lot_."

G /M

"I don't know Temari; your Suna theory is looking less and less likely right about now." Kankuro mumbled, staring in acute shock at the levitating girl.

"Why is that?" She inquired with a far-off look.

"I don't know anyone in Suna that can fly." Kankuro deadpanned, tearing his gaze away from the girl to look poignantly at his sister.

"Well now you do." Temari shot back briskly, her attention being taken by the match again.

G /M

"How-"Sasuke groused to himself.

"I'm getting real tired of that voice of yours."

To prove her annoyance she enveloped her hand in a purple light and then shot it at him.

All the Uchiha could do was dodge the explosive force; barely, gaping in shock at her newfound strength.

"C'mon Uchiha, are you going to make this fun for me or am I going to have to just turn you into Swiss cheese?" She mocked before shooting a flurry of her purple light blasts in his direction.

She had to hand it to him, he lived up to his Uchiha name, he dodged so neatly and skillfully that it almost looked like a graceful dance.

She snorted at her own thoughts, pausing in her blasting to survey the damage.

Half the field was busted up, the pillars were now approximately the same height, with either jagged, slanted edges, creaky, unstable holes, or both.

In her pause to appreciate her handiwork, Sasuke took the advantage.

"Katon: Grand Fireball." Was the only warning she got before a, well, _grand_ fireball came hurtling towards her.

She of course had options to counteract the fireball.

A: Dodge. Well that was easiest, but it also wasn't very dramatic or show-offy, which is what she was going for right now.

B: Use a water technique. Hmmm, maybe.

C: Use a **bigger** fire technique that made Sasuke's look like child's play. Now we're getting somewhere.

D: Stand there, absorb the fire and use his own technique against him. DING DING, we have a winner.

All her thinking didn't really give her time to dodge anyway, so she simply floated, looking boredly at what most people would consider oncoming death.

G /M

"Kankuro." Temari called, without looking away from the scene.

"Yeah." He answered, looking similar to his sister.

"If she's not from Suna, I'm going to be pissed."

"Same."

G /M

The stadium gasped as Miyako started to…inhale the fireball?

Even Sasuke couldn't properly school his expression of shock as his attack was eaten before his very eyes.

They remained in shock until the last tendril disappeared inside her body, but Sasuke was thrown out of his awe at the loud burp she emitted, a long smoke trail breaking free from her lips.

She grinned nervously, "ehem, excuse me?"

Sasuke leapt at her, kunais in both hands, intent on bringing her down to his level of the playing field, for he could do hardly any damage if she continued to float as she did.

Miyako saw this and immediately inhaled a large breath of oxygen, reigniting the quelling flames inside her stomach, and shot them out in a continuous burst of flame at the fast approaching Uchiha.

Forced to dodge, he was sent careening off his chosen path, and even as he landed shakily on one of the many broken pillars, she continued to blast him with his own fire.

He hopped from pillar to pillar as he played mouse to her cat, a game he was not enjoying mind you, his mind whirring with strategies and observations and just plain aggravations.

'How?' Was the star thought in his head at the moment, for he was so stunned that that was the only word he could pin to his emotions, 'how?'

Eventually the stream stopped and Sasuke looked up curiously to the still floating figure of Miyako, taking care to be cautionate in case of a trap.

He saw that she was thinking again, he could only tell because her face got this far-away look and her eyebrows twitched, which meant that her thoughts were plagued with trouble or worries which he had gathered from the first half of their fight; the first half of their fight when she was _losing_.

He took his chance as he grabbed a handful of shuriken from his back pocket, flinging them at the preoccupied floating menace, intent on knocking her out of the sky.

It seemed it would work, and for the tiniest second he let a victorious grin stretch over his face, the crowd's intense gazes only fueling his fire as they followed the path of the shuriken with bated breath.

No such luck.

Not only did Miyako **not** get hit with shuriken, she completely incinerated them.

Sasuke looked in awe as a _purple _fire clone manifested from out of her body, grinning widely at the shocked Uchiha as the original stared intensely down at him with bright, glowing purple eyes.

Damn, could nothing stop this girl? What had happened to the timid girl who had almost fallen to her death ten minutes ago? Where was she? Sasuke wished she would come back so he could get this battle over with.

Suddenly the clone shot itself at him, looking much like a large flamethrower. He jumped back in evasion, but found that he apparently wasn't her target at all.

The clone descended down into the foggy pits, confusing Sasuke more than he thought was possible, but he used his opportunity to think up another strategy, there _had_ to be some way to get her out of the sky, maybe he should taunt her? That seemed to piss her off last time.

"Hey!" He uncharacteristically yelled.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him, as she was also just as observant.

"What do you want Uchiha, a truce?" She mocked.

"I can't ask for a truce without a real fight, Maki." He sneered back.

"Are you mad because I'm kicking your ass?" She guessed, smarmily.

"Please, I'm waiting for you to get down here so the real battle can begin." He threw in a smirk just to get her blood steaming.

He received a blank look for his efforts, which was just his luck that he couldn't read her blank looks, so he had no idea the effect his words had on her.

"Nice try." Then suddenly the fog enveloped around them, plunging Sasuke into total white.

"Dammit." He cursed, figuring that the fire clone was only conjured to make the fog rise to their level.

He jumped onto his previous pillar to see if he could find an edge to the fog, but a loud crash and the sudden falling sensation alerted him to one fact: The clone was knocking down the pillars.

He jumped to another only to have a sense of déjà vu, which clearly told him that either the real one or the clone could somehow _see_ or sense him.

He closed his eyes as he continued to play his hopping game, trying to sense Miyako through the fog while at the same time trying to avoid falling.

He sensed her almost immediately, even though she was a force to be reckoned with, she couldn't hide that blaring chakra signature of hers, even though she was currently trying to.

He hopped onto the last pillar that was currently standing, crouching down to its face and preparing his legs for a powerful spring that would take him to Miyako, even going so far to charge his legs with chakra to make it that much easier.

This battle would end with this finally strike, he decided as he felt the pillar shake with the clone's force of attempting to knock it over.

He readied his kunai and sprang.

G /M

Miyako was hanging off the wall nearest to the audience, after all it was still a free show, her front facing the fog and patiently awaiting Sasuke's arrival.

She figured that she and Sasuke had much the same idea, to finish the other off, quickly. He probably wanted to because he was tired of looking like a buffoon in front of his classmates, but she had more pressing reasons.

As aforementioned nearly a thousand times before now, Gaara did not believe in her, and as such she could not fully access her magic, yatta yatta, life sucks.

One of those affects was happening right now.

She fought to keep her thoughts straight and her head from spinning, exhaustion from using so much magic on the Uchiha without a viable source of belief to draw from taking its toll on her.

She faintly heard her clone knocking down the pillars and there resounding booms as background noise to the symphony of thoughts buzzing in her pounding head.

Most had to do with Gaara as a master, some had to do with Gaara platonically, more had to do with plans to even _have_ a platonic relationship with Gaara, and a lot more than she expected had to do with Gaara not-so-platonically.

God she hated puberty.

It was just when she started thinking of other things that had less to do with Gaara and more to do with defeating the Uchiha, although still with Gaara in mind, that the Uchiha actually decided to come out of hiding.

He was soaring at her fast, a single kunai in hand and ready to strike with not lethal, but not gently intent.

Her mind was so bleary that she barely managed to overpower the Uchiha, slapping the kunai forcefully from his hand after a bit of struggle.

She had both his wrists in one grasp, her other hand still using chakra to pin her to the wall, when Sasuke started to attempt to kick away from her, she transferred the chakra to her feet and slapped a hand over the Uchiha's face.

With the pitiful amount of magic she had left, she forced the Uchiha into a sleep state, and waited until he went limp in her grasp before unceremoniously dropping him.

The crowd, who had been oddly silent, gasped at the action, causing Miyako to roll her eyes at the uniformity of it all.

To appease them she fell after Uchiha, her living scarf finally exhibiting its usefulness as it wound around the two of them and gently lowered them to the ground.

She yawned as the scarf wound itself back around her neck and lower face after setting the sleeping Uchiha on a gurney.

She was just thinking of joining him on said gurney, when Gai-sensei appeared before her, ruining all chances of sleep.

"EXCELLENT MAKI-SAN, THE PANEL WILL BE MOST PLEASED WITH YOUR BATTLE I'M SURE!" He gestured for the medics to take the Uchiha.

"WE WILL SURELY SEE YOU SOON!" He enthused, shaking Miyako's hand vigorously and nodding to someone else behind her.

She turned sleepily to see Lion, who gestured for her to follow him, and so she did.

G /M

As soon as Miyako left the silent room with Lion whispers, shouts and general din erupted.

Gaara did none of that.

It wasn't that he was too stunned, or shocked, or generally at awe of Miyako's strength or abilities that had him so quiet, it was actually the exact opposite.

He wasn't impressed.

Sure she beat the Uchiha in a seemingly effortless fifteen minutes, even after projecting herself as a weakling, so what? It didn't change his opinion of her, but it did change his opinion of the Uchiha.

It would be even more satisfying to destroy the Uchiha now, after all he deserved it with his humiliating and crushing defeat at the hands of a girl that Gaara could decimate with a mere look.

Most would think it would be the exact opposite, but killing was in Gaara's blood, and once he had chosen his target he _would_ destroy them. Yes, he would prefer they give him a challenge, but he _did_ love the struggle they made to cling to life just as much.

If the Uchiha did that and managed to provide a challenge, Gaara was sure he would be in tip top shape for his next challenge.

As for the girl she wasn't a threat, he was surprised that she survived that fall, and could easily replicate Uchiha's techniques, but he was sure enough in himself and sure enough in her abilities that he could easily convince himself of her weakness.

But it would be interesting to instill in her the fear that everyone on this country, on this earth, should have of him.

That was his challenge for her, fear.

G /M

**So, I expect seven reviews for my next update please. If I get only get five though and some new follows and alerters then I'll update, but begrudgingly. So make me happy my friends! Oh, and if you guys give me more than the quantity above, I'll update early, Thursday at the latest. Okay? Good, good. Here's some incentive, a sneak peek!**

_She was nervous, terribly nervous. She knew that she shouldn't of been nervous because, hell, it was only Gaara, right? Sure he was emitting cold and violent vibes the last time she had saw him, but that didn't guarantee that he had totally changed, right? _

_She fidgeted with the plaid skirt of the Academy's uniform so she wouldn't wring her hands, and she was biting the inside of her cheek so she wouldn't chew her lip until it was bloody mess. _

'_Oh god, what if I can't do this? What was I thinking trying to come here and rekindle a dead relationship with my master of all things? It's not like I didn't already see this coming the moment he let me out of the lamp, so why am I giving extra effort to someone who clearly doesn't want anything to do with me, and…and-'_

_He thoughts were cut off when she ran into something solid, and she stumbled back only to discover it was Lion, her personal escort and keeper around the campus. _

_They were in front of a cherry stained wooden door with golden script written in the rain glass that read: Japanese Literature, Hatake Kakashi. _

_Lion was looking intently at her through the mask, and somehow she could interpret that to mean: "Calm down, you have nothing to fear." _

_And she did, but only a little. _

_Satisfied, Lion opened the door and gestured her inside, waving once before closing the door and disappearing from her radar._

_Instantly noticed a few things._

_The room had gone silent, that was the second time she had caused that to happen, but not because they were curious, she could tell, but because they were sizing her up._

_She saw Sasuke glower at her, his eyes promising a rematch in the near future, a cocky grin from one male with…a dog tucked in his jacket, and intent stares from everyone else, all except…Gaara._

_His eyes were blank, devoid of emotion, to all except her. _

_And suddenly she remembered why she came back for him._

G /M

K, bye!


	5. Each Day Gets Better

A/N: Whooooo! Love you guys.

GaaraLover: Yeah I know, Lion is cool isn't he? He just can't help himself with his quiet badass-ness.

Shadow-Ninja-Captain69: Alright here's more! :D

XxCupcakeAssassinxX: I'm glad you like Kakashi, and here's a little bit of Gaara Miyako action for you at the end, cupcake! :D

Ninja-Bunny-Master: I liked that part too, I laughed hysterically after I read it over and I kept repeating: Dude man, she basically slapped him into unconsciousness, that's awesome.

Here's less awesome non fight scene drama for you, enjoy please.

And here's the disclaimer

Disclaimer: You wanna know something horrid? I don't own Naruto. Yeah, I don't like it either.

Let's get on with it.

Each Day Gets Better

She didn't get to spend her first night free of the lamp with Gaara.

No! Not like that, she just meant with _any_ of the Sand ninjas currently bunking in a hotel down the street from school.

She actually spent the night being interrogated within an inch of her life by Ibiki Morino and his gang of cipher division goonies about her true intentions in Konoha.

They didn't release her until nearly three in the morning, that's nearly twelve hours of intensive searching and questioning and researching and documentation that they put her through.

She idly wondered, as she sat there wasting away from overuse of her already overused powers, if they put all Konoha potential students through this kind of ringer. Something told her that the answer to that was probably no.

So she slept the rest of the morning away in Lion's room in the guardsmen towers of campus. He was nice enough to let her sleep on the bed, and for that she will forever be grateful to him.

He woke her up at 9, gave her the uniform, a short sleeved white button up shirt with a Konoha emblem and a red and green plaid skirt, and then informed her via her printed schedule that classes started two hours ago.

When she questioned him _why_ he had chosen to wake her up late, he simply stated that she looked tired and needed more sleep.

Or at least that's what she got out of his deep soul searching stare, as he did not communicate with her verbally. The sad part about it was, he could've done it purely out of spite and she would basically lie to herself about it because she liked the guy too much.

'Gah, what is it with me and silent guys nowadays?'

She unconsciously followed him as she internally fretted, attuned to his chakra signature almost too well.

They were fast approaching Gaara's chakra signature, she could feel it amidst her thinking like a dull throbbing in the back of her temple.

She was nervous, terribly nervous. She knew that she shouldn't of been nervous because, hell, it was only Gaara, right? Sure he was emitting cold and violent vibes the last time she had saw him, but that didn't guarantee that he had totally changed, right?

She fidgeted with the plaid skirt of the Academy's uniform so she wouldn't wring her hands, and she was biting the inside of her cheek so she wouldn't chew her lip until it was bloody mess.

'Oh god, what if I can't do this? What was I thinking trying to come here and rekindle a dead relationship with my master of all things? It's not like I didn't already see this coming the moment he let me out of the lamp, so why am I giving extra effort to someone who clearly doesn't want anything to do with me, and…and-'

Her thoughts were cut off when she ran into something solid, and she stumbled back only to discover it was Lion, her personal escort and keeper around the campus.

They were in front of a cherry stained wooden door with golden script written in the rain glass that read: _Japanese Literature, Hatake Kakashi. _

Lion was looking intently at her through the mask, and somehow she could interpret that to mean: "Calm down, you have nothing to fear."

And she did, but only a little.

Satisfied, Lion opened the door and gestured her inside, waving once before closing the door and disappearing from her radar.

Instantly she noticed a few things.

The room had gone silent, that was the second time she had caused that to happen, but not because they were curious, she could tell, but because they were sizing her up.

She saw Sasuke glower at her, his eyes promising a rematch in the near future, a cocky grin from one male with…a dog tucked in his jacket, and intent stares from everyone else, all except…Gaara.

His eyes were blank, devoid of emotion, to all except her.

And suddenly she remembered why she came back for him.

G /M

"Ah, you must be Maki-san, please come in."

She obeyed the silver haired man while at the same time staring pointedly at the back wall and not at anyone else; she did have manners after all.

"No need to be shy, why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"

She spared the man a glance, although she couldn't look too long, or else she'd start staring.

"When you say introduce…"She trailed off, accidently catching Gaara's piercing gaze, making her throat close off accordingly.

Fortunately the man didn't notice, taking her silence to mean that she wanted him to fill in the blanks.

"Your name, your hobbies, dreams and goals in life." He listed off nonchalantly.

The sound of his voice shook her out of the sea foam induced stupor.

"My name is Miyako Maki, my hobbies…"She shrugged, because she honestly hadn't had a hobby in hundreds of years.

"My dreams…aren't really important," because they _weren't_, "and my goals in life-"She caught Gaara's stare again, but was smart enough to tear it away quickly, "are classified." She kept up a neutral face throughout her whole explanation, which got many raised eyebrows from her crowd.

"Very informative." The man said, chuckling a little at his own statement.

"I am your sensei for Japanese Literature; you may call me Kakashi-sensei, and let's see…" She saw his one eye start to rove the classroom, so she roved it too.

It was fairly full inside the medium sized room; every small desk was taken up in residence.

In front sat Sasuke, who was _still_ glaring at her and did not look about ready to let up, as well as a few other colorful heads that got steadily blander as one looked back, save for three recognizable heads in the back.

Gaara sat in the far back right corner, right near the window, the two desks in front of him and to the left completely empty. His siblings, Temari, the oldest blonde haired girl, sat one desk away to the left of him while Kankuro, the only other brother, sat diagonal to Gaara. She just then realized that she couldn't see Kankuro's russet brown locks what with that ridiculous cat hood on his head.

The redhead was looking out the window boredly now, so Miyako was free to stare semi openly at him. She highlighted the features she had seen before, the sun doing a great job of igniting his fiery red hair and glinting across his sea foam green eyes that looked much softer in observing nature than it ever did when it was turned on her, but something suddenly stood out starkly in the slanting light that she hadn't noticed before. A…was that a red tattoo on his forehead?

She searched her memories of Gaara for a red tattoo, but in every shot his forehead was completely clean, so he had to have done it after he'd wished her away, but of all the things to do, why would he get a tattoo, on his forehead nonetheless?

"Ah!" Kakashi's voice halted her thoughts again, "you'll just sit next to Gaara, as those seem to be the only available seats." Even though he made himself sound chipper, she could detect a hint of dread in his words. She guessed that he was concerned for her safety, after all there was certainly a reason no one sat next to Gaara and he had likely wanted to keep it that way.

The class wasn't so great at hiding their emotions, as many of them stiffened at the announcement, some shooting her sympathetic looks, the siblings even going so far as to shake their heads solemnly.

Miyako would've taken this warning seriously, if this hadn't been what she wanted, in fact, many of the reactions were starting to irk her just a bit, and she was glad that her scarf covered the lower half of her face so they couldn't see her acute snarl at their obvious opinion of her master.

Miyako kept the upper part of her face blank, even going so far as to look at Gaara just as boredly as he had snapped his head up to look at her with. Not that she held his gaze or anything, because then every mask and façade would go crumbling down and he would surely think she was some sort of strange stalker.

She kept her gaze on the corner above Gaara's intense stare as she made her way to the seat, all eyes of the class on her, plus Sasuke's glare, until she finally sat down in her seat right next to Gaara, eyes forward and trained solely on Kakashi-sensei, the only acceptable time she could stare at the man.

Said man cleared his throat, and everyone snapped forward to pay attention to his continuing lecture on Japanese folklore, something Miyako was already vividly familiar with.

She instead focused on the boy next to her, who still stared unabashedly at the side of her face, he face completely devoid of any emotion.

Unfortunately for the boy, being this close to him meant that she could easily absorb his emotions, and he most certainly was not _devoid_ of any of them.

The first and most forefront emotion was annoyance, as the boy was used to being alone in his corner of the room, and having her sit next to him was burdensome in many ways.

The second emotion was oddly excitement: despite the fact that he didn't want her sitting here, he was excited about getting a chance to…to strike _fear_ into her heart.

The third and most subconscious, but still powerful emotion was bloodlust. It was so powerful that it made her shiver from the pure power of it, and echo throughout her head, awakening other memories of that emotion.

She did remember that emotion on a much younger Gaara, but it was much more sated and belonged more to the Shukaku than him. Now it seemed that the two had come to agreeing terms on that factor, as they both craved the blood of millions to be consumed by and endless sandstorm that would rage like the rage he'd felt for so many lonely years.

He seemed to be formulating a plan as he sat there staring at her with all those emotions bubbling under the surface. The plan that involved him first using that emotion of excitement to instill the emotion of fear inside her, and then use that constant bloodlust to kill her slowly and savor her screams.

She had to be really careful around him if she ever wanted the Gaara she knew back. She would first have to find some way around this confused and volatile Gaara.

G /M

She ended up sitting with Gaara in every class period, as the layout of each classroom was basically the same, as well as the kids in each of her classes.

She had quickly learned the name Uzumaki Naruto, the blonde haired, blue eyed, whisker cheeked, orange wearing unpredictable ninja from Konoha. Quickly was actually an understatement for how fast the ninja had introduced himself to her, as he ambushed her immediately after class had let out and pulled her into dark broom closet.

Fortunately she had seen him coming, so she didn't accidently blow his head off with one of her spells when he'd ambushed her, unlike some other unfortunate people in the past.

"Miyako, right?" He had inquired shortly after they had gotten settled inside the closet.

She'd risen a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in response to his obvious question.

He rubbed the back of his head in what she could only pinpoint was bashfulness, "right, sorry." He perked up, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage and number one ninja of Konoha, at your service!"

She was surprised he could read her body language; perhaps it was because he was friends with the coldhearted Sasuke of the Uchiha clan?

She nodded in response to his introduction, but continued to keep a brow raised, silently asking where the hell he was going with this.

"Well, you know, I felt kind of bad for you, having to sit next to Gaara and all-"She tried to control the offensive growl that was rising in her throat at the direction this conversation was taking. "and since you haven't really made any friends yet, and there's no way that you'll make friends with _him_, I just thought it'd be nice of me to become your first friend."

The growl died in her throat and her expression softened considerably. Of course Naruto would be the exact opposite of Gaara even though they were alike a lot more than they both realized. It warmed her heart that Naruto would reach out to her and attempt to make friends, of course he was completely mistaken in assuming that she couldn't make friends with Gaara, but it's not like he knew that. He was also mistaken in insinuating that Gaara was all monster, but she couldn't be too mad at him for that either, Gaara had obviously been giving off the wrong impression, not that he thought it was wrong, and Miyako would see to it that Naruto saw the real Gaara.

There were so many things she would've liked to say to Naruto to convince him that Gaara wasn't at all as bad as he made out to be.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun, that is very thoughtful of you." She said instead.

He gave her an award winning smile and opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted with the turning of the knob and light flooding in.

She looked around him to find Lion standing there; staring at her in what she could assume was curiosity through his mask.

Or indifference, it's not like she could tell.

Silently she held her hand out for Lion to take, again assuming that he would like to take her somewhere, and he did, snatching her up so quickly that she barely had a chance to say goodbye to Naruto before she was dragged off.

Lion had escorted her to all her other classes, which all included Naruto sitting in the very front waving at her like the happy maniac that he was while she gave her introduction speech four more times and then proceeded to make "the walk of shame", as Naruto had dubbed, all the way to the back to sit next to her unknowing master.

No one really deviated in their seats at each new period. Sure, there were a couple new faces in some periods, but it was mostly the same batch of people every time. For instance, Naruto and Sasuke were always next to each other in the front, Naruto because he was a troublemaker if wasn't watched out for and Sasuke because he was a star student, she had discovered. Gaara and his siblings always sat in the back, probably because Gaara didn't like being under the direct scrutiny of anyone and his siblings because they were too afraid of Gaara, like everyone else, to question him.

So she decided that she would sit directly next to him. That would be _her_ seat.

Gaara didn't object, and the rest of the day went smoothly.

G /M

Naruto was very disappointed when Miyako said she could not hang out with him tonight vey publicly at lunch, when asked why not, she replied she had certain duties as a Sunagakure _guard_ to perform.

That had certainly gotten the sand siblings attention down at the other end of the table very quickly, but they hadn't said anything about it, until now that is.

Temari, being the kind of person that she is, had _politely invited_ Miyako to the Suna meeting in the upstairs art room to discuss her duties here.

And by politely invited, Miyako would call it a _threatening demand._

So she promptly attended, where she was the main topic of discussion.

Her second interrogation had occurred that night by the very people she had claimed sent her.

"It seems very unlikely to me that Kazekage-sama would send you _after_ we had already been sent out, why would he not send you at the same time?" Baki was trying to sound as if he posing it as a question, but it was obvious that it was implication upon her, she could even here the unspoken accusation: unless you're an enemy ninja spy here to collect information.

"He said something along the lines of you being too incompetent to guard his children." Miyako deadpanned, smirking behind her scarf at Baki's locked jaw, her eyes twinkling with mirth from his frustration.

"It's not my fault he doesn't trust you with his own children, that sounds like something you should take up with him when you get back." She continued, disinterested in continuing the pointless meeting and itching to get to the hotel so that she could _bathe_ for the first time in nearly three days, she was sure she was starting to smell.

"And just why wouldn't he inform us ahead of time?" Baki continued.

"He also mentioned something about checking the status of this mission and reporting back to him, and so if he sent you, a subordinate that he doesn't fully trust, information detailing my reasons for being here you would attempt a cover up, convince him that I'm not needed when I clearly am and send me on my merry way packing while _you_ managed to get us to _fail_ this mission." She spat acidly, while at the same time managing to sound completely uncaring.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to write my report to Kazekage-sama, and I'm sure he'll be _very _delighted to hear that you decided to question his decision to protect his children." She let a wicked twinkle take over her eye as panic set over the Suna jounin.

She had been absorbing Gaara's emotions _way_ too much.

"Wait!" Baki called out to her as she attempted to step out dramatically, every eye trained on her back.

"Yes?" She sounded highly amused as she turned back around.

"It's not that I question my Kazekage's orders-"

"It's just that you don't agree with them."

She saw Baki steel himself from lashing out at her; after all he was convinced that she had the power to get him off the mission, permanently.

She did, just not in the way he thought.

"I'm just making sure you are who you say you are, after all I've never heard of you."

"There are a lot of things that the Kazekage has under his belt that you've never heard of, that doesn't mean they're any less true or less real, Baki-sensei." She droned, whirling around to the door once again.

"Where are you going?" He demanded with an edge of hysteria.

"I told you, to write my report, I still have to write it whether I write about you or not."

Baki seemed to deflate at that almost vague reassurance, but still stared distrustfully after Miyako's back as she left.

He cleared his throat to silence the din that had erupted at her departure. "As I was saying…"

G /M

She was playing with the black beaded necklace that held her own personal prison when Gaara arrived back with his siblings an hour later.

He bypassed their questions on dinner and how school was to instead take refuge on the roof.

Or at least that's what he had hoped he would do.

She looked up from her feigned concentration on her lamp when Gaara's shadow flooded her sight.

She immediately noticed the scowl on his face, his stiff muscles and the way his forehead crinkled when he was angry.

"Move." Was the one quiet word he uttered when she just continued to stare up at him blankly.

She contemplated the risks of angering him this early in the process. Although angering him now might not bode well for getting close to him in the future, but if she didn't stand up to him now he might not take notice of her at all.

So she made a compromise.

She slowly stood, never breaking eye contact with sea foam, even though those eyes were bad for her already rapidly beating heart.

She flitted her eyes momentarily to his tattoo, and took notice that it said "love".

"Why do you have that on your forehead?" She inquired quietly, so quiet that Gaara might've mistaken it for timid-ness.

He snorted, closing his eyes to her curious stare, and the childish portion of her mind cheered that she had totally won that staring contest!

She might've been offended that he simply brushed past her without even answering her question, but it was alright, he didn't need to verbally answer for her to understand; they had always understood each other better without words anyway.

"You know," she spoke again, except just a little bit louder so that he could hear her, "in the message it says I'm here under the Kazekage's orders to protect the Sand Siblings." She didn't need to turn to feel his indifferent, but on the inside curious, stare on her.

"But we both really know that my only concern is protecting you."

That got the wheels in his head turning, but before he could turn around and violently voice his thoughts she was gone.

G /M

_Yay. Alright, same deal as last week, I want my quota filled. This time I must absolutely have __**7**__ reviews to continue writing. They don't have to be good, I just want some feedback people, that's all I'm really asking for, because besides the traffic stats I have nothing that proves that people are reading besides the reviews. So review! If I get some extra reviews or even more followers and alerters, then I'll update early. If I don't, then don't expect an update until Sunday. _

_ The next chapter is called: Fight vs. Flight. And as punishment for not completely filling my quota, you do not get a sneak peek this week. Don't cry, that's just the way the cookie crumbles my friends. _

_ I still love you guys though! See you next week _

_ Air kisses, _

_ Stupid Fun Acronym_


	6. Fight vs Flight

A/N: Awww, I love you guys too.

pitifuldreamer666: Thank you so much for the praise, I just love, love, love it! :D

Teddy1994: Well here you are my dear, enjoy.

XxCupcakeAssassinxX: I know, I wrote this chapter thinking of your request.

Shadow-Ninja-Captain69: I see, you've been shocked into speechlessness by amazing talents and all you can say is yay. I feel you darling.

Ninja-Bunny-Master: Don't you? I wish I could hug Gaara too, and maybe Lion if he permitted me with one of his stares.

nappyhead: Yeah, everyone likes Lion, I don't know what it is about him, probably because he's comic relief to all this drama! As for Baki I put in a little more Baki Miyako interaction, but not the Gaara Miyako kind mind you, for your enjoyment.

Red X17: This one's for you.

Anyways, and we're back with the lovely couple Miyako/Gaara and we're getting ready to spice it up with even more loads of drama, and, what's this? Gaara/Miyako interactions? –Faints from the shock of it all-

Here's the disclaimer my peeps:

Disclaimer: I'm a disclaimer, and do you know what my job is?

SFA: No, what is your job disclaimer?

Disclaimer: To remind you that you don't own Naruto, at all.

SFA: WAAAAAH!

Any who, on with the story! –Is secretly dabbing her tears-

Fight vs. Flight

The origin of Gaara's scar plagued her thoughts until morning where she successfully managed to dodge Gaara's awfully curious looks.

It was actually a lot harder than she imagined. Their rooms were right next to each other, and since she now could no longer sleep because she was near him they had started preparing for the day at the same time. She let him have the bathroom first by deciding to go downstairs and cook breakfast, because she could clearly hear groaning in his head about Temari's cooking. She dredged up recipes from older days of older masters while playing wife and simply fixed a buffet of foods favored by the siblings. She would've made Gaara gizzards, had there been any tongues for her to work with, unfortunately there weren't, probably courteous of Temari's absolute disgust of them.

So she simply made natto, tamagoyaki, and okayu, all essential breakfast items needed to start the day.

Her cooking woke Kankuro, who stumbled into their small little kitchen bleary eyed and curious looking.

"Temari?" He grunted while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Guess again." She chuckled as he blinked to focus his vision.

A tray filled with all the breakfast goodies was placed in his hands by the time he managed to fully wake, and then his eyes bugged appropriately.

"Miyako?" He then looked at the food, and his eyes only widened further, making it very difficult for Miyako to keep a straight face, or rather a blank look in her eyes.

"Un-burnt food?" He sounded so mesmerized with the thought that Miyako couldn't stop her amused snort.

She led the drooling puppet ninja to the dining table close to the kitchen while he continued to, well, drool and look delightedly at his food.

He dug in quickly, eating so much so fast that Miyako swore that he hadn't eaten in his whole life. It really got out of hand when he paused to start crying, his purple face paint running with the waterfall of tears he was emitting, some even splashing into his food.

"Are you alright?" Miyako fretted at his odd behavior, awkwardly patting his brown locks when he would not cease.

"It's-it's just so, so, _delicious!" _He seemed to only cry harder at this revelation, leaving Miyako to stand awkwardly at his side, pondering how _bad_ Temari's food must've been.

A sudden jolt to her right side had her peering down, only to leave her sweat-dropping at Kankuro's sudden attachment to her right leg.

"Thank you!" He kissed her feet, which really freaked her out, "Thank you!"

"What is going on in here?"

Miyako and the still crying and kneeling Kankuro turned to the demanding voice of Temari.

Said woman had her hands posed firmly on her hips and a quirked eyebrow at the scene that probably looked a lot more compromising than it felt, behind her was a stoic but still highly confused and irritated Gaara who was waiting impatiently for one of them to answer, specifically Miyako if the stare he was sporting her was anything to go by.

Miyako couldn't answer, for when she read the implications in Temari's voice coupled with the audience of an expectant Gaara, she grew embarrassingly warm in the cheeks and hinderingly dry in the mouth.

Kankuro, dense to the situation at hand, saved them all with his exclamation:

"Taste this!" And then proceeded to shove a mouthful of natto down Temari's throat.

She sputtered and coughed at the sudden intrusion, slapping her brother in the midst of her swallowing, which took several jerking motions of her esophagus.

When she'd finally calmed from her near choking fit, she slapped Kankuro _again_ and then proceeded to yell extremely loudly about his violating personal space issues.

Gaara ignored their tiff, though it irked him a smidge and walked to the stove with the still steaming breakfast atop it, eyeing it curious and distrustfully.

"I made it." Miyako finally managed to squeak, though her cheeks were still pink and her throat was still dry.

Gaara shot his eyes to her, his stare accusing and soul-searching, pinning her to her spot with that stare alone.

She realized faintly that Temari and Kankuro had stopped fighting in the background and were staring both curiously and nervously at the two, but everything fell away when that sharp gaze caught her own.

His stare was probing her for answers, silently asking if she'd poisoned their food and stripping her soul to get the answer, but more importantly than that, what he considered anyway, trivial question was a greater question that she knew would tip Gaara's feelings for her one way or the other.

Had she really meant what she said last night? Was she really sent by his father? To protect him?

He didn't look like he believed it, nor that he wanted it, but the answer was important to him all the same, though he would never say it aloud.

She hoped her eyes portrayed exactly what she was thinking at the moment and that he could read them, correctly, it would be a shame to be misinterpreted.

After some immeasurable time he grew impatient with his silent searching and promptly opened his mouth to question her verbally, and quite harshly by the set in his brow.

She became discouraged, she did not want to go through a third round of questioning in less than twenty four hours, especially not questioning from Gaara, as she would surely break under his steadfast gaze and reveal far too much.

If he did not understand her with gaze alone than he would not grow to understand her at all. She searched her mind for an escape route, when it suddenly clicked to her that Gaara was in the kitchen, which meant that he wasn't in the bathroom, which was a solid excuse to excuse herself with.

"I'll be freshening up now, Gaara-sama," she added a bow for effect, "please enjoy your breakfast."

Then she disappeared down the hall before he could even get in a word edgewise.

G /M

That was basically how the whole morning went, a tireless game of back and forth, everywhere she would encounter him he would resume his endless staring and every time she refused his gaze and excused herself with a sudden urgency.

School was different.

It was easy on the walk there, and even on the walk to class, as she could pretend to chat amicably with Lion and Kankuro and one of them would chat back while the other just added to the intense gazes already on her.

It was not so easy once they were sat next to each other in their first period of the day: Anatomy taught by a purple haired, rumored to be insane woman by the name of Anko of all things.

Luckily she hadn't been in this class the day before, so she could sit back and feign interest in eavesdropping on the conversations around her instead of acknowledging Gaara.

He didn't let up, not even when Anko swaggered into class ten minutes late, a shit-eating grin on her face as she sat on top of her large desk at the front of the class.

"Good morning maggots." She sang the offense, her grin somehow growing wider as the class save for Gaara and Miyako chimed the sentiment back to her.

She then launched into a spiel about her after school activities yesterday, particularly about an incident with a drunken male ninja and a certain part of his anatomy almost getting removed.

"So, what have we learned?" She beamed at her frightened and now newly mentally scarred students.

"That you're even more insane than I first thought you were!" Naruto cried from the front, and Miyako could see his hands slip under his desk to protectively guard his jewels.

"Noooo." She sang, pinching Naruto's cheek with that same grin still plastered to her face.

"Not to piss you off?" A lazy boy that sat slightly in front of her droned, shrugging disinterestedly when she sang another no and laid his head back on his desk.

"That I like my male anatomy right where it is?" The wild looking boy with the dog that had leered at her the first day, barked. Hehe, barked, she cracked her own self up.

Anko sighed, but she really didn't look all that disappointed. "No, maggots! That was a lead in to today's topic! The male anatomy!" She sounded elated about this upcoming topic and even threw in jazz hands to further emphasize her excitement.

Needless to say Miyako was totally engrossed in Anko's vivid and creative explanations for the next hour that she almost forgot about Gaara's intense gaze.

G /M

Classes unfortunately don't last forever, but when you're stuck with walking with an antisocial but somehow still intent to make you talk Gaara, you only needed to throw a completely silent Lion into the mix to distract yourself.

So Miyako talked, just not about the subject Gaara was so intent on making her talk about. And she didn't talk to him, she talked to Lion.

"Is Anko-sensei always like that?"

Of course Lion didn't answer, just stared at her, but not the blank stare Gaara was known for sporting because Lion had different levels of stares that Miyako could determine from behind his mask.

This stare was sarcastic and read: 'What do you think?'

"I guess I should've known that, plus I asked Naruto about it and he claims that they talk about the male anatomy in some way, shape, or form every other week, but why are they so traumatized at the end of every class if that's the case?"

Lion gave her a shrug, which translates to: beats me.

"Huh." They arrived at the next class, Lion bidding her his signature farewell gaze before poofing away.

They were the first ones inside Kurenai-sensei's history class, which instantly made her stiffen and contemplate calling Lion back to save her from her own master.

She calmly sat down in her regular seat, making sure to stare at the front wall in an almost riveted way that she hoped would somehow deter Gaara from looking at her any further.

It didn't.

She counted the seconds that it took for Gaara to realize they were alone in the room, with no witnesses, and that it was just her.

"You lied to me."

She instantly shot her eyes to find him still standing beside his desk, his gaze growing cold as it caught hers.

"What?" She managed to ask, somewhat dryly.

"My father did not send you here to protect me, why would he?"

She recovered from her normal Gaara-induced throat constriction to counter:

"Despite what you may believe about your father, you _are_ important to him, now where that importance lies is another question."

Yes, she was subtly showing her disgust for the Fourth Kazekage, but she was more than certain Gaara wouldn't mind much less care, as he had the same views.

"That man is foolish, I need no protecting; your presence isn't required."

The statement did not put her off, after all it wasn't the first time she'd heard that statement, and it wasn't the first time she had heard that statement form Gaara's lips.

"Whether you feel my presence is required or not isn't any of the Kazekage nor mine's concern, my job is to protect when you can't protect yourself, and I will."

"And how will you do that? You are barely strong enough to protect yourself." Gaara's words were the biting and condescending kind.

"I never said my job required that I protect myself." She finished with a finality that was only backed up by the presence of people trickling into the classroom.

She ignored the implication of her words as well as Gaara's now irritated and confused sideways glance at her, busying herself with listening to Naruto's tall tale of a mission he had went on recently.

The stares stopped shortly after that period, and Miyako didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

G /M

Gaara was not happy, and when Gaara wasn't happy Miyako wasn't as a result.

It really shouldn't have been that big of a deal, considering Gaara was rarely ever anything besides irritate or bored, but now he was just down right annoyed, and it was escalating by the second.

It was lunchtime, and Konoha had a very big and divided cafeteria. The polished white linoleum floors were scattered with many round wooden tables as an array of smells wafted from the kitchen area, some of them delicious and some of them questionable.

Yesterday the three had sat at a table near the Konoha section, which was half of the west end of the cafeteria, in close hearing range of Miyako's chosen table yesterday, the Rookie Nine table.

On the other end of the cafeteria sat the other countries, the biggest being the Rain ninja, which seemed to perplex Miyako greatly, not that she aired her feelings to anyone else.

Temari informed Miyako via reminding her brothers that Baki had instructed that they sit with the Konoha ninja, thus further learning their weaknesses and integrating themselves into Konoha's good graces.

They approached the table of Rookie Nine , Temari taking the lead on the operation since she was technically the oldest.

She cleared her throat, unnecessarily gaining the attention of the ninja that had not already noticed their approaching presence, which was only Naruto.

Said boy immediately brightened at the sight of Miyako, waving wildly at her at the opposite side of the table.

"Miyako-chan!" Naruto cheered, making Sasuke glare at him instead of the wall and the pink haired girl next to him start to shout about annoying her precious "Sasuke-kun."

That was when Gaara's eye had started twitching.

"Could we sit here?" Temari asked _politely_, _politely_ actually meaning _demanded_ as Temari is known for.

Most sane ninja around the table looked as if they wanted to desperately say: "No." without the consequence of Gaara suffocating them with his sand hanging over their heads, which meant everyone except Naruto.

At the prospect of his new best friend Miyako sitting there, Naruto immediately said: "Of course!" and made space on his side of the table for the four to sit, which was probably just an excuse to shove Sasuke, who was at his right.

"Thank you so very much Naruto-kun." Miyako cheered brightly, sitting between Gaara and Naruto so that Naruto wouldn't say something stupid and Gaara not kill her new friend.

Sasuke grumbled from beside Temari about how much of a dobe Naruto was before resuming consumption of his tomatoes.

Things were running smoothly at the table, despite everyone's reluctance to have them there. Miyako and Temari being the main conversers, with Miyako being the main topic of discussion.

She didn't mind it, unless Naruto got too loud for her tastes and began practically shouting in her ear about how great she was, that is until they got to the subject of her first sparring match with Sasuke.

The wild looking boy, Inunzuka Kiba if she wasn't mistaken, had brought it up.

"Hey, so you were the chick who whooped Sasuke, right?"

At the mention of that accursed battle Sasuke looked up from glaring at his missing tomatoes and instead glared at her, making her wince slightly.

"Whooped isn't the word I would use." Miyako placated, avoiding the Uchiha's glare.

"Well," the boy continued as he munched on some rice, "it's the word I'm using. I can't figure something out though, and its bothering me, now what was it…?"

"Wow," The lazy boy who she had learned was named Shikamaru drawled, "your inability to comprehend is _actually_ _bothering you_."

"Shut up, Shikamaru! We can't all be geniuses like you, you lazy bum!" Kiba defended with something akin to a growl that had Miyako biting her lip beneath her scarf so she would not bust out laughing at his similarities to a dog.

Naruto was laughing obnoxiously loud next to her ear, which was really bugging the hell out of Gaara by the way he glared at the little ball of sunshine.

She was just about to tell Naruto to shush and change the subject, when she felt a presence come barreling forward.

She didn't need to turn to identify the man, tall, burly, 15 with a quick temper and an egotistical attitude to match.

When she realized he wasn't coming to attack Gaara, erm, _any_ of the Sand Siblings, she relaxed, but instantly stiffened again when Naruto's chair went flying out from under him.

She barely caught the boy as he fell, still managing to clip his jaw on the edge of the table as she hauled him back upright.

He groaned, massaging his chin as the rest turned around to survey the man responsible.

It was just as she described him, his corded muscles flexing tauntingly beneath a black muscle shirt and standard black ninja pants. His headband read of a Mist ninja, which explained his callous and hateful attitude in Miyako's mind, and his blue eyes shone tauntingly from his oversized head.

Alright, perhaps that last description was a little inaccurate, but Miyako _really_ didn't like this guy, obviously.

"What's the big idea?" Sakura yelled, though she hid behind Kiba a little after she exclaimed it.

"You're that Uzumaki brat, right?" His voice was like grating nails on a chalkboard, or perhaps that was Miyako's faulty description again?

"What's it to you, bastard? You got a problem with me or somethin'?" Naruto grumbled from behind a sore jaw.

"Yeah, your big mouth!" The man taunted, getting into Naruto's face, threateningly, and that was no misconception on Miyako's part.

She could feel the overconfident arrogance roll off the man in waves even as Naruto looked him square in the eye, hoping for a challenge.

There was obviously many ways this could be taken care of.

One, Naruto could deal with the guy himself, an option Miyako least preferred. It's not that she didn't believe in her new friend or anything like that, it's just that she was sure Naruto would come out of this battered and cause a commotion. That was the last thing Naruto needed another of on his record; she was afraid the troublemaker wouldn't be able to participate in the Chuunin exams if he got one more smudge on the already defiled records.

Two, Sasuke could step in and beat the guy easy, with minimal damage to himself and to his already pristine record, but if she let that happen she'd never hear the end of it from Naruto, and she already heard _enough_ complaining about Sasuke from the boy, thank you very much.

Three, she could let Gaara take care of the man like he was so itching to.

Ha, ha, please, she knew if she let Gaara lift one finger to simply "defeat" someone it would end up a killing spree in here.

So it looked like it would be her job to stop this nonsense.

Just as Sasuke was getting up to tell the prick where to shove it and then shove that it down said place, Miyako took the liberty of fixing everyone's problems.

She easily found Naruto's previous chair and just as easily levitated it up and whacked the man, _hard_, across the skull, breaking the wooden chair with the force of the hit, all without moving a finger.

The man howled in range, clutching his head, which Miyako had determined was harder than a rock seeing as he wasn't passed out right now, and glaring daggers right at her.

How did he know it was her?

Oh right, he saw her match with Sasuke.

"Leave." She deadpanned as everyone's eyes jolted to her, and when she says everyone, she means **everyone in the freakin cafeteria was looking at the exchange.**

"You," he hissed, "this doesn't concern you, mind your own business Suna _guard_."

Damn, how many people knew she was here to guard the Sand Siblings? Everybody?

"You're right," she looked at her nails boredly, "Naruto's safety doesn't concern me."

Okay, that was a lie, she cared for Naruto very much, but she wouldn't say it out loud to him or anybody else, not _now_ at least.

"But my charge's safety does." She retorted. "And it is in my jurisdiction to take out any presence I deem threatening within a certain range of my charges and _you_," she hissed before he could even get in a word edgewise, "are a threatening presence within my charge's vicinity, therefore I have the right to ask you to leave before I take action."

He growled, still gripping his wounded head lightly as she continued:

"So I ask you one more time, leave us in peace, can't you see we're eating?"

The man smirked at her obvious frustration with his presence, and with his arrogance still coming in waves, he leaned in closely to her and whispered:

"Or what?"

That was a good question, and before anyone could even think up an answer, the answer was already yipping at their feet.

"You…turned him into a puppy?"

At the affirmation of her actions, the whole cafeteria broke out into a din, many pointing and whispering at her and the yipping puppy that was once the 15 year old Himura Goro.

She instantly noted Lion's presence beside her, so in tune with the chakra now that she didn't even have to look at him to know.

The puppy was nipping it's small teeth into her ankle, unable to get by the black leggings, teeth even getting stuck in the material.

She cooed despite the impatient aura Lion was giving off, he was such a tiny, cute puppy!

Eventually she looked up at Lion and frowned beneath her scarf at the disappointed stare he was giving her. She had to fight her instincts to lower her head in shame at the silent scolding he seemed to be delivering to her.

Slowly she reached out an arm, onlookers curiously looking at the exchange, and Lion immediately snatched it up and proceeded to drag her away in the direction of the Headmaster's office, barely allowing Miyako to pick up Goro the puppy by the scruff of his neck before they were gone.

G /M

Headmaster had given her a reaming, it was so bad that it almost made Miyako cry, but only managed to put her in a sour mood, not only because it was so unlike him, but because he made her miss two periods away from Gaara doing it.

It was so unnecessary, Goro totally deserved to be a puppy, he was so much more tolerable and cute that way! She didn't really see the harm in it.

Most of all though, she was sour because Lion was now refusing to communicate with her.

She only knew this because Lion always stared at her when they were communicating, but now he stared steadfastly ahead as he escorted her to her Gym class with Gai-sensei.

She could vaguely tell that he was upset with her by the way he crossed his arms, and that he was ignoring her by the way he refused to answer any of her pleas, other than that she didn't know what was going on that head of his.

Dammit, didn't he know that she couldn't tell what he was thinking unless he looked at her?

God, they had such a messed up relationship.

"I said I was sorry!" She whined after several moments of walking, "I didn't know that you would be placed on watch duty for my actions, I didn't _mean_ to act out!"

He continued to look forward, which Miyako took to mean: Lalalala, I'm not listening to you, jerk, because I'm still mad at you for getting in trouble and getting me demoted, Lalalala!

Well, maybe not like that, he seemed much more sophisticated and serious, but how was she to know?

Miyako continued to grumble and occasionally ask if he was mad at her, to which he would not tilt his head either yay or nay, which only made her more frustrated.

They finally arrived at the gym, where Lion proceed to jerk the door open and motion her stiffly inside.

"You are mad at me!" She exclaimed via reading his body motions.

That's when he looked at her, and she heard exasperation in her little Lion voice that she had made up in her head saying: Shut up. I'm not mad, I'm just annoyed at your constant jibber jabber.

Well, okay, he probably wouldn't say jibber jabber either, but it was her head dammit!

"Oh." She murmured as she walked inside. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"

She could practically feel Lion roll his eyes behind her as they entered the coliseum like gym.

"MAKI-SAN, WELCOME!"

She did not wince at Gai's loud greetings any longer, after two days it almost starts to grow on you, she simply gave him a wan smile.

"Good afternoon, Gai-sensei, sorry I am late."

"NO PROBLEM!" He gave her a nice-Gai pose that she had also become immune to.

"YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEXT SPAR TO MAKE UP FOR YOUR LACK OF YOUTH TIMELINESS!"

Lion approached Gai as he was about to announce the match, and whispered in his ear a message, that had Miyako boiling with jealousy.

Why does he get to hear Lion's voice? Man!

She would've glared childishly at Lion as he made his way back to his post, but that would've looked strange, so she refrained from doing such a thing.

"MAKI-SAN, MY PRECIOUS STUDENT, YOU ARE ON PROBATION?" Gai wailed, a statement from him that had actually made her wince.

"Probation is a strong word, Gai-sensei, I would prefer to call it…" She mused silently to herself for a moment, "vacation." She finally settled.

She inwardly giggled at the stare Lion was giving her across the room, a stare that read: Really? Accompanied with an eye roll.

"I MOURN YOUR UNYOUTHFUL VACATION, MAKI-SAN, BUT PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT IN THE STANDS, I WILL HAVE TWO OTHER YOUTHFUL CHALLENGERS FIGHT TODAY."

She gladly made her way up to the stands, taking an already available seat between Gaara and his siblings.

"I missed you." Kankuro whispered beside her without looking her way, which made her inwardly scoff.

" I apologize for my tardiness, Headmaster took my prank a little too seriously."

Temari looked curiously at her at that statement, but was quickly distracted by the announcement of a Hyuga Neji verses a Himura Goro.

"Well this should be interesting."

And indeed it was, Miyako was rooting for Neji, even if she didn't know him.

Needless to say Neji won.

G /M

"What's this I heard about you turning a Mist ninja into a dog?"

They were at dinner, Miyako had just finished serving the tea and had sat down to eat her delicious meal of all the Sand siblings' favorites, gizzards and all, when Baki had interrupted her first bite with that nonsense.

"A puppy." She corrected reflexively.

"A puppy then." Baki demanded.

"Is this all we're going to do, Baki?"

He growled at the absence of the honorable suffix, which she promptly ignored, as far as she was concerned they were on equal footing, besides it's not like she went around demanding everyone call her Miyako-sama because she was god knows how many years older than them.

Temari and Kankuro were warily watching the conversation, though Temari was more curious than wary, in fact Miyako would bet she was wishing something would happen to Miyako by the end of this discussion, she was vindictive like that.

Gaara could care less, he had gizzards, that's all he needed.

"Are you just going to fight me on every turn?" She continued.

"Your petty vengeance could have cost us!" He exclaimed, his one eye glaring into her blank ones.

"I was doing my job, are you going to punish me now because of it?" She scoffed mockingly.

"Temari claims he attacked that Uzumaki boy-"

"His name's Naruto." She cut.

"Whatever his name is isn't the point, the point is, is that it had nothing to do with the siblings!" He shouted.

"So you would rather me just stand there and take that chance? I was sent to guard them from _any_ presence, which means _anyone_ regardless of country or rank, even _Suna_."

"I'm sure that they could've handled him."

"Right," she laughed humorlessly, "so I should've just let Gaara, _handle_ him, yes, that would've went so _well_."

Baki went silent at this argument, knowing that things would've gotten bad if she had just let the siblings handle it.

"I think you need to rethink your attitude towards me, **Baki**." She emphasized, making him growl more.

"I was sent here for a reason, regardless of age, our status is the same, you are no more powerful than me, and I suggest you remember that." She abruptly rose, her food untouched on her plate.

"Where are you going?" He growled.

"To bathe unless you'd like to try and forbid me from doing that too?"

Baki kept his mouth shut by shoveling some rice into it, chewing slowly as she exited down the hall.

The soft clinking of china was the only sounds heard for the rest of the meal, Temari and Kankuro too aware of the palpable tension still lingering in the air to start a conversation, at least with Baki.

Kankuro broke the silence with a contented sigh at the end of the meal, making Temari glare balefully at him.

He ignored his sister's murderous look, smacking his lips dramatically and saying:

"That is what food should taste like."

He laughed as Temari hit him over the head with her fan, too well fed to be put down by his sister's jealousy, but he still fled the room at the threat of her fan striking again.

Temari grumbled to herself as she ate the rest of her meal, secretly enjoying the taste of fresh ingredients and _edible_ foods, and not having to get take-out, _again._

Gaara shortly excused himself after Kankuro, and by excused, it actually means left the table without a word.

G /M

Gaara caught Miyako just as she was slipping into her room, his sand forcing the door open to follow her inside without consent.

"Gaara?" She questioned, narrowly avoiding a doorknob to the back as he made his way inside.

She subdued her blush as he raked her over with his eyes, her long frame only clad in dark shorts and a dark tank top.

It was by far the most skin she'd shown to him since they'd first met.

She fingered her loose hair, subconscious of the unexplained staring contest he suddenly decided to initiate.

"Gaa-"

"You said that your job doesn't require you to protect your own life, right?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes carefully masked of the true thoughts of where she thought this was going.

With dread she saw the sand start to pour out, pooling around his ankles as he continued to speak.

"Does that mean you would forfeit your life for mine's?" He suddenly grinned darkly, his sand starting to whip around in preparation to attack.

"Yes." She answered through trembling lips just as the sand seized her and lifted her into the air.

"Really?" He purred viciously, bringing his sand cocooned guard closer to his body, his crazed eyes meeting her carefully guarded ones, as her face was the only visible part of her body now.

She realized then that she had a choice to make, a very hard pivotal choice that would change the course of her relationship with Gaara.

She already knew he wasn't going to kill her, he was just toying with her now, instilling the fear his eyes had promised from that second day so that she would know who was in charge.

Now she had to decide if she was going to give him what he wanted or stand up to him defiantly.

One would please him as well as hurt him, it would be a delight to the Shukaku and to the current dominating part of Gaara's mind to know that yet another person feared him and that she could further fuel the endless plot of proving Gaara's existence with bloodshed. It would also hurt him because she would just be added as yet another person that feared him and did not realize the cry for help behind the slowly devouring monster he was becoming.

The other would…confuse him. It would be the first person who had ever _not_ feared him, had _stood_ up to him even and that might fuel him to twist the meaning of her defiance into trying harder to win over her fear, and that in taking away her life and his sand consuming her blood, he would have made himself exponentially stronger because he'd destroyed the one person brave enough to stand up to him.

They were both potential lose-lose situations, really.

So she settled for compromise,

"Gaara, not everyone has to be afraid of _you_." She steeled her eyes into his, thousands of words that she might like to say forming and passing rapidly in her head.

"I am afraid of the Shukaku," she allowed, even biting her lip for added effect. "But I have _never_ been afraid of you, because I've always known that you were more than what's inside of you."

From the moment she started speaking Gaara had stiffened, his eyes closed tightly as if he was barricading himself from her words.

He started breathing heavily after her admittance to fearing the Shukaku, but had totally lost it when she said that he was more than what was inside, clutching his head and wailing: "Mother!"

She wanted so badly just to break out of the sand and tenderly hold the broken child, but she had to keep the pretense up, for now.

The sand freed her soon enough, but before she could further break Gaara down with her words he was gone, only the grains still residing on her skin and the departing pile left a sign that he had ever been there.

G /M

K. So, give me 7 reviews for this outrageously long chapter and I will be happy. As always if you give me more I will be an extra happy person! :D Oh, and I'll update sooner, an added bonus to the gift that is my happiness.

The next chapter is called: Goading Gaara, and I promise that it will be very fluffy (well, as fluffy as you can get with a pre-Chuunin exams Gaara).


	7. Goading Gaara

A/N: Yay reviews!

Ninja-Bunny-Master: Yeah, Lion's just mean sometimes, and don't you just love Goro the puppy? He's so cute, at first I was thinking of turning into something cliché, like a frog, but then I decided that a puppy was _much_ cuter.

Red X17: You're welcome.

Nappyhead: I actually want to make him have a long meaningful but awkward hug with Gai-sensei now, just because you said that….

Flatwaffles29: Thank you for the love my dear, I will try very hard to make it as long and as awesome as possible for you as a show of my appreciation. :D

This chapter is going to be largely about Miyako-chan's past and the past ninja world. I kind of tweaked it for my own purposes, but I did warn you guys that it wouldn't stay on the facts of canon so…

And really, there isn't much of an explanation of the past before mercenary clans, not that I've seen anyway, and so I think this is a great explanation, for the purposes of my story anyway.

There isn't much else to be said about the chapter, except that I hope you enjoy it! :D

Here's the disclaimer my lovely ducks!

Disclaimer: ZZZzzzzZZZ

SFA: Ahem!

Disclaimer: -wakes with a start- Oh, uh…

SFA: This is the part where you inform everyone that I clearly don't own Naruto

Disclaimer: …What she said.

SFA: -eye roll-

Well let's get on with it then.

Goading Gaara

Gaara was avoiding her.

She didn't mind it, not totally, after all she had clearly seen it coming after their conversation last night, but that didn't mean it still didn't sting her a little.

The real problem was that everyone else seemed to acquire a sudden interest in her.

It had started in History with Kurenai-sensei, she and Gaara's first period class. They had started to backpedal a bit when the relevance of kingdoms had started playing a part in the Great Ninja Wars, and that was when she was first mentioned.

"One of the greatest and most peaceful kingdoms to ever rule was the Wind kingdom ruled by the Kurosawa's, which ended its reign after the last King, King Daisuke, died of old age." Kurenai-sensei had explained, pointing to an old and faded ink painting of the King, who was a kind looking man if his large smile and twinkling purple eyes had anything to say.

Miyako looked sadly at the painting, memories of that same smiling face and lively eyes haunting her thoughts as the class continued, unaware of her inner turmoil.

"He didn't have any offspring to continue his lineage?" Sasuke grunted curiously from his seat, eyeing their sensei with disbelief.

"Very good question Sasuke-kun, and yes, Kurosawa-sama did indeed have one heir to his throne."

Miyako winced as Kurenai unrolled another similarly faded scroll with a flourish, revealing a very old and very worn picture of…her.

Miyako eyed the picture, noticing the similarities and the differences between her and the girl portrayed there.

She was not smiling when they'd painted that picture of her, she could vaguely remember that she had been chastised beforehand by her father's aide about the nature of royals and that they were not to lift a muscle in their face in paintings, as it gave the wrong impression.

She hadn't bought it, but she'd had to sit through a nearly hour long lecture on the subject and listen to the aide complain on her father's behavior, and so she had obeyed, hence why she looked so radically different from her father in the painting, though they were very alike. She had to admit though, everything looked very smooth when she wasn't smiling, or even showing expression at all.

Her hair, she observed, was styled in loose ringlets, all pulled around her shoulders, the length barely stretching past her neck then.

She fingered her now long, wildly curly mane while she continued to outline other obvious distinctions.

Her eyes were still that purple, although they had morphed into something much sadder and lonelier now than before, whereas impassiveness was simply a mask to great joy and liveliness.

Her hands were daintily folded in the lap of a lilac kimono that danced white patterns of wind cascading into twilight skies as it fell down, not that anyone could see that in the painting, but she just recalled it because it was her favorite kimono, soft, wonderful and made of the finest materials.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd worn something like that, the time stretching to literally eons ago.

She was confident that they wouldn't grow suspicious of the similarities, in fact they'd never be able to tell, few probably had remembered her face the one time they'd seen it, and even fewer would look past the obvious differences in hair style and length to even question it.

Mostly though, it was because she knew that she just _wasn't that girl. _Not anymore.

"He had one daughter, and her name was-" Kurenai quirked her lips a little in Miyako's direction, making the girl have to pretend to be disinterested once again.

"Kurosawa Miyako."

Naruto was quicker than the rest of them to react, spinning around in his chair and facing Miyako with a large grin, shouting:

"Hey, hey! Miyako-chan and the princess share the same name!"

She gave Naruto a weary upside u grin with her eyes at his outburst, deflating in relief when he whirled around once again to fire off another thought.

"But hey! What ever happened to Miyako-hime, huh Kurenai-sensei?"

Kurenai shook her head sadly, "No one knows, Naruto-kun, some speculate that the girl died of a disease that was spreading rapidly around their kingdom, others still claim that she was kidnapped by the man they had trusted to cure the kingdom of their disease in exchange for her hand in marriage, but the full story has never been told."

"So no one took over after the Kurosawa-sama's death? What happened to the kingdom?" A platinum blonde girl, Ino? Miyako couldn't remember, questioned.

"The kingdom dissolved, for the villagers loved the Kurosawa clan so greatly that they felt they could not raise up a better kingdom after his death, and so they all split up, some into the mercenary clans we discussed earlier in the year."

"So that was it? They never looked for her or anything?" Sakura cried, sounding much more hurt for Miyako's situation than she should be. After all, it happened a long time ago.

"They did Sakura, but they never found her, many documents say the king died searching for his daughter, as well as many of the people of his kingdom, they never gave up hope that they would find her."

Miyako's eyes widened at this revelation, true she had thought that her father would look for her, but she'd never imagined that he'd go searching for the rest of his life! And not to mention the village people as well?

A sudden sadness washed over her, the abruptness of it all causing her to spiral into a depressive state that she hadn't encountered since she'd first been cursed with this life.

She tried to choke it down, to pay attention to Kurenai-sensei's lecture of the other kingdoms of old, but her father's smiling painted face kept tipping her over the edge; it got so bad that she had to put her head down on the cool desk to keep the pins and needles pricking her eyes into tears at bay.

She let in a shaky breath, and knew she was starting to draw attention to herself, something she did not want at this time, and so she had to come up with a plan; quickly.

She resolved that feigning sickness was the easiest route to take, as she already looked the part of an ill individual, but still she would have to do so subtly, as she did not want to draw more attention to herself than she'd already accumulated by do something rash.

When Kurenai-sensei had taken a pause in her lecture, Miyako gently lifted her head up and raised her hand, catching the teacher's attention quickly.

"Yes, Miyako-chan?"

All eyes than turned to her, curious, as she had never before interrupted a lecture.

"May I go the nurse's office sensei? I've been feeling a bit ill all morning." She offered repentantly, shooting the teacher a wry smile with her eyes.

"Very well Miyako-chan, do you require assistance?

"No, I think I am capable of making it there on my own."

"Please get better than." Kurenai allowed, writing a quick pass on a blue slip of paper and handing it to the slowly approaching girl as she passed.

"Arigato." She then ambled out of the room, her mind whirring rapidly with what she was going to say to get Lion off her back.

The ANBU had now been given the permanent duty of watch dog after Miyako's Goro-puppy incident, and had been taking his duties very seriously, standing guard outside each of her classrooms for its whole duration and vigilantly walking her to each class, his stare never wavering.

Although she appreciated his silent but warm company, she did not wish for it at this present moment; he did not need to see her in such an emotional state.

When she exited she found he was nowhere in sight, and she let out a quiet sigh of relief, quietly ambling to the restrooms a little ways away, as she knew that if he did decide to cut short his good graces he could not follow her in there.

She entered the empty bathroom, double checked to make sure it was empty and then entered a stall.

It was there that she cried silently for the duration of first period.

G /M

Gaara silently watched the girl leave the classroom curiously, his expression blank though his mind was not.

What was suddenly the matter with her?

It's not as if he cared, for her anyway, it's just that she was _supposed _to be doing a job at the moment, and getting "sick" was not in her job description.

He had a strange feeling that she was not "sick" as she had claimed, rather that she had heard something from the lecture that had caused her to have a sudden emotional reaction, what emotion he did not know, and he couldn't pin what had set her off either.

But again, it's not as if he cared.

It's just that, he _knew_ she wasn't sick, she had been perfectly cheerful this morning as she cooked and served breakfast, and that the breakfast had been perfectly fine as he was not sick, nor were his siblings, and she had remained her chipperly annoying self on the way to class, chatting as usual with that strange Konoha ANBU that kept following them around, so what was it?

He didn't know, but he was certainly debating telling Baki, it _would_ prove beneficial to him to have her out his hair if Baki decided to boot her off the mission for her incapability, and if he mentioned that she had an ANBU tailing them around due to what he assumed was the prior incident in the lunchroom, than it would certainly get her sent back.

That _would _ be nice.

Just as he was deciding he was going to do just that a thought occurred to him.

If he got rid of her, who would make him gizzards?

He begrudgingly admitted that he liked that she made gizzards for him, and that she did it exceptionally well, something that he had not encountered in a long while and certainly made his stomach very happy.

He would also begrudgingly admit that she cooked well too, _much_ better than Temari, there was no question, but that didn't take a lot of skill to accomplish, so he had to admit that she was on an even higher level than that.

He would not eat any more burnt meals; he had gotten too used to Miyako's cooking to go back to square one.

Fine. He would keep her, and he would make _damn_ sure that Temari didn't open her mouth to tattletale to Baki about this incident, as he knew that Kankuro was not a problem being as much in love with Miyako's cooking as he was.

He would _kill_ Temari before she got rid of Miyako, that's how serious he was about her cooking.

Then it was settled.

G /M

Miyako made herself look as pitiful and ill as possible when she entered the nurse's office, which wasn't too hard to do considering she had been crying for almost an hour.

Still, the nurse, Shizune, had fretted over her obvious warm forehead and bid her rest for at least a period before she commenced her school activities once again.

Miyako didn't need it, after all she was only going to the nurse's office for show, but she was grateful to fall into the springy mattress and sleep her cares away, regardless of her responsibilities.

She awoke at the sharp shrill of the bell and was immediately alert and walking out of the office, bidding Shizune good day and almost running smack dab into Lion.

He gave her a stare she hadn't yet seen, but by his tense posture she assumed it was concern, and therefore named it the: "Are you alright?" Stare.

"I'm fine." She assured and Lion minutely relaxed under her sharp gaze, before gently taking her wrist and towing her off to her class.

It was Japanese Literature this period.

She and Lion made it there at their snail pace just in time for the bell to ring, so Miyako bid him a quick goodbye and hastily rushed to her seat.

"Ah, there you are Miyako-chan, I was beginning to worry you wouldn't show if Anko-san's speculations of your condition were anything to go by."

Miyako gave Kakashi an eyebrow raise, a thing they were both familiar with seeing as they shared the same adverse response to showing their faces to the public.

"Maa, she said something about you having a horrible stomach bug, or that someone poisoned your breakfast, and when Kurenai-sensei brought up that you suddenly fell ill in her class, she was _sure _that it had to be that her lecture bored you to death."

Miyako couldn't hold it in, letting out a loud boisterous laugh, making Kakashi grin his upside down eye u at his accomplishment.

"There we are, now that Miyako-chan is back to her cheerful self we can begin the lesson, today we are going to discuss the folklore of: genies."

Miyako had settled into quiet giggles as Kakashi had started the lesson, but immediately quieted at today's topic, not so much out of fear, but more out of curiosity, how would Kakashi's lesson portray what she was?

Kakashi then began to weave a tale of "The First Genie", which involved a poor man being cursed by a powerful demon into fulfilling his every command, and when the poor man found that he could not complete some of the tasks the demon gave to him, the demon would imbue the man with some of his powers, and these powers stayed and multiplied until the man was all powerful.

She started to wonder where the "trapping in lamps" would come in, but Kakashi quickly answered that silent question when he reached the climax of the story.

The man apparently felt that, with all of his newfound powers, he could challenge the demon to a duel, where if he won, he would be free of him and keep his powers.

The demon allowed it, feeling confident about the extent of his also awesome powers, provided if the man lost, he would serve the demon without question and give him a fatal weakness, tying him to a lamp he had made himself.

The man accepted and they dueled, as Miyako predicted the man lost and the demon sealed him up inside the lamp, binding his powers not only to him, but to the lamp, so that if he chose, he could break it as well as kill the man whenever he chose.

The whole class was silent as Kakashi finished his tale, some looking on at the man who U smiled at them in awe, while some, mainly Sasuke, looked bored.

"Kakashi-sensei, what does any of this have to do with real life?" Sasuke droned.

"Yes, as you say, all of these stories you are telling us are simply that: stories." A stoic boy in front of her, Neji if she recalled, stated.

"Ah, but I did not say that Neji-kun." Kakashi sang. "I said that these are legends!"

"Ah, ano, but Kaka-sensei, isn't that the same thing?" Naruto questioned, scratching his head as Kakashi's eye only arched farther, if that was possible.

"No, Naruto-kun, won't someone explain what the technical definition of a legend is to Naruto?"

"Naruto," Miyako called softly from her seat, knowing that if Sasuke explained it to him he would just belittle Naruto, which would irritate Naruto, which would start a fight, which she did _not_ want to see happen.

"Hm?"

"A legend is a story from the past that is popularly regarded as historical, just not verifiable."

"Ano…" He put his finger to his chin, making the class groan and even Gaara tighten his jaw and roll his eyes.

"So that means, it could be true?" He guessed with a hesitant expression on his face, it lighting up when Miyako nodded happily to him.

"Oh! Thanks Miyako-chan!"

Everyone either sighed or inwardly sighed in relief that the disruption was over and Kakashi continued with the lesson.

"Very good Naruto-kun," Kakashi mocked lightly, making the boy in question huff, "and I even have an example to back your new found vocabulary up."

Kakashi pulled out a large book that said: Konoha History: Underneath the Underneath, which made Miyako very suspicious, as that was exactly Kakashi's motto.

"Kakashi-sensei we already studied history earlier today!" Naruto objected.

"Ah, but Naruto-kun, how am I to present to you the evidence of the existence of genies, a folklore, without citing a reference in history?"

The boy settled down at that argument and so everyone settled down for yet another history lesson.

Miyako was very curious at this point, tilting her head in tandem with her emotions as Kakashi opened his book.

"So today you learned about the kingdoms prior to the mercenary clans, right?"

They nodded in sync.

"Well, it is said that the clans still had a small allegiance to their kingdoms, even though the kingdoms were gone, and so they fought under their last king's names, the Senju and the Uchiha only being two examples.

"They were enemies before the creation of Konoha due not only to their equal power and strength, but because they hailed from two warring kingdoms. The Senju were from the Wind kingdom and the Uchiha were from the Fire."

Miyako nodded, as she already knew all this, it was one of the many reasons why she had been weary of the Uchiha, as they were the Fire kingdom's strongest warriors and fierce opponents. She remembered that before she was kidnapped they were meant to bring about a peace treaty with the kingdom, but that the horrible disease had broken out in her kingdom before it could be carried out. Many always suspected the Fire kingdom, and subsequently the Uchiha. It was one of the reasons the Senju had held out on their fighting grudge for so long, because they still blamed them for the many deaths in the Wind kingdom.

"And so because of this the Senju fought under the name of their last king, Kurosawa Daisuke-sama, and their would- be queen, Kurosawa Miyako while the Uchiha fought under their last king Fukui Nori-sama.

They had many fights because of this, and each clan documented the fight, victory or loss, and there was an interesting occurrence that the Uchiha kept encountering when fighting the Senju. Would you like to know what it was?"

Everyone nodded, even Miyako was faintly curious, though she had a tiny feeling that she knew where this was going.

"The occurrence was that a _woman_ kept appearing on the field to aid in battle."

Kakashi let the silence fester before Naruto habitually ruined it.

"So?" He murmured, "That's not much of an occurrence."

"Baka," Sasuke hissed before Miyako could interject, "women weren't allowed to fight on the battlefields back then." Naruto made an "oh" shape and Sasuke, along with all the other smartasses in the room, that's Neji and Shikamaru, rolled their eyes. "Continue Kakashi-sensei."

"The strange thing about it, Naruto-kun, wasn't just that she was a woman, but that she could counter the Uchiha's fire techniques flawlessly, and without even making a hand sign."

Naruto vocalized his "oh" this time, quite loudly, but Kakashi continued without pause.

"In fact, the Uchiha will claim that she could copy any jutsu they threw at her, they believed her to be so powerful that they thought she was a goddess. And so they appropriately called her as much, Miyako: Goddess of Jutsu."

Naruto gasped, "What?! The supposed goddess' name was Miyako too?" Naruto shot Miyako a very intense stare, with which she simply shrugged, feigning innocence.

"Oh wow Miyako-chan, you're named after a princess and a goddess!"

"Maa, Naruto, don't jump to conclusions, the woman was not actually a goddess, remember this is a story about genies. And the genie was simply named after Miyako Kurosawa, because she had the princess' eyes." At this Kakashi showed a picture inside the book, casually walking around so that everyone could see it, even Miyako, who rolled her eyes at his happy smirk, she knew because his eye had that mysterious twinkle.

"But that is interesting isn't it?" Kakashi continued as he paused to show it to the girl. "It is very interesting that our precious Miyako-chan is named after such powerful figures when she herself is so powerful."

Miyako made a show of snorting, and hid her face further within her scarf when everyone starting staring at her, contemplating Kakashi's words.

She was glad when Kakashi rounded back to his desk, tiring of seeing her image staring back at her with purple eyes she could actually place.

In that drawing it was much harder to discern that it was indeed her, because back then she was extra careful to hide her image from the Senju, as they were from her kingdom and would surely recognize her. In that drawing she was only a pair of glowing purple eyes and long flowing black hair, the style still slightly the same as when she was a royal, the rest of her was cloaked in a purple light that was so bright few could hardly tell she was a woman unless they had actually been there.

"So Miyako-sama was a genie, for real?" Sakura inquired, though she sounded hesitant to believe it.

Kakashi shrugged, "As I said before, it is only a legend, and no one can prove it for sure, all we know is that the Uchiha saw a woman who would only appear during battle to protect the Senju. That, in my loose definition, is a genie." Kakashi remarked, just as the bell rang to dismiss.

"See you tomorrow, where we will analyze the tale of The Little Peachling!"

Miyako stifled her giggle as the class groaned, quickly meeting up with Lion while she waited for the siblings.

Lion was staring at her calmly now, curiously, which meant he was asking: "What did you learn about today?"

"Today we discussed genies, Lion."

His stare shifted into one of honest curiosity, 'oh yeah? What was that like?'

"It was very interesting, Kakashi-san even seems to think they are real."

Lion abruptly stopped staring to stare at something else, most likely the arrival of the siblings.

"Hey, Miyako."

Yep, that was Temari's voice alright, as per usual she sounded annoyed about something, and it probably had something to do with her.

"Yes, Temari-sama?" Miyako answered coolly, even adding a bow.

"I've been meaning to ask you about him." She threw her head to Lion, who simply stared at the exchange blankly. Yeah, blankly, that's how good Miyako was at reading his stares.

"Lion? What about him?" She mentally prepared herself for where this was going.

"Why is he around us all the time? Or more specifically, you? What have you done that's gotten you in trouble with the Headmaster."

Miyako could feel the hidden statement behind that question ooze out of Temari with her vicious and annoyed posture: '_we can't afford to have Konoha ANBU guards hanging around us, so you'd better get rid of him.'_

It was unfortunate that she could _not get rid of him_ and she said so as much in her stare.

"You do recall when I turned Himura Goro into a puppy, right?"

"He was there even before you did that." Temari accused, and she was right, but as always Miyako had an answer for everything.

"He was my escort before then, the Hokage posted him to me between classes so that I wouldn't get lost." She droned, truthfully, because that was truthfully why he was there before.

Although, she also suspected it was because the Hokage didn't trust her, but that was to be expected.

Temari, having run out of arguments, resorted to venting out her frustrations by bringing up old incidents.

"Well if you had just let _us_ take care of ourselves during that incident we wouldn't have this problem."

"Right, if I had let any of _you_ take care of this problem, you'd have still have _this_ one." She threw her head to the still intrigued Lion.

"Is he staying?" She barked.

"It's not like I can get rid of him." Miyako clipped back.

"Well, we'll just see what Baki has to say about these developments-"

"_No."_

Miyako whipped her widened eyes to a glaring Gaara, but he was not glaring at her, for once, but glaring at…Temari?

"W-What?"

"Temari, you will not tell Baki about this." Gaara deadpanned, but his glare still remained deadly and promising.

"But Gaara-!" She started to protest, that is, until Gaara's sand started to have a say in it, and it looked ready to share some violent words the way it whipped around like that, nearly cutting Temari's cheek.

"_I said no, or would you like to continue this discussion?"_ He questioned darkly, making the girl shudder.

"R-right, no, s-sorry." Temari immediately stuttered out.

"That's what I thought, now shut up and let's go to class." Gaara then stalked off, Miyako making haste to follow him with Kankuro not far behind, though he made sure to stick behind Miyako.

Lion's stare was upon her again, but this time it was accusing: 'What was that?'

"Oh Lion," She whispered exasperatedly, "of course I didn't mean any of those things. You know I enjoy your company."

He silently huffed, slowly folding his arms, which to anyone else might look like he was trying to be intimidating, but she knew that he was silently fuming.

She turned to face the back of Gaara's head as he marched them to their next class, smiling and silently mouthing: Thank you.

G /M

Yeah, I know, I changed a few things in ninja history to benefit this chapter, but I think it's a nice and plausible change, don't you?

Anyway, you know the drill, give me 7 reviews and I will be the happy camper who updates faster and thus makes your life better with my oh so creative writing. Don't, and make a sad and lonely person who does not update on time due to her all-consuming sadness, and only reviews will make her happy again.

As always if you give me more I will just burst with joy, then I'll be like THE SUPER HAPPY CAMPER 5000!

Anyways, the next chapter is called: Hell Begins. And yes, that is code for the beginning of the Chuunin exams! Yay! Tell then my precious pretties!

Stupendous, Frivolous, Acronym.


	8. Hell Begins

A/N: Alright my lovelies, in this chapter the Chuunin Exams will finally begin! ALRIGHT!

Victor B. Thomas: Thanks for the praise Victor. You didn't reply to my PM though dear, hopefully you got it at least, though I did see that you started a story on your profile, keep up the good work!

Red X17: Not really, but now I'm considering it. That would be very interesting indeed.

Flatwaffles29: You are simply the best my darling! This update was largely in part of your encouragement. Thank you so much!

Crazyinabottle: Thanks, I'll try to keep it interesting for you.

And here's…Lion?

Lion:….

SFA: Uh, where's the disclaimer?

Lion: -Gives her a stare that clearly reads that the disclaimer is not here at the moment and therefore he must take over the job-

SFA: Oh…well go on then.

Lion: -stares at audience, the stare translating to: You know the drill, SFA doesn't own Naruto, nor will she ever, now can we please get on with this?-

SFA: -shrugs- Good enough for me

K, let's get on with it.

Hell Begins

"Lion, we've been through this already, you cannot follow me into the women's restroom."

The man clearly needed boundaries, just because the Chuunin exams were starting in a matter of minutes does _not_ mean that he can suddenly follow Miyako into the bathroom, he was clearly out of his mind.

Yes, the dreaded exams were here, and they were currently occurring just across the street in the Konoha Ninja Academy, Miyako and Lion were currently _not_ there because Jounin were not allowed to attend unless they were of Tokubetsu rank and the chosen instructor.

Miyako was neither, and Lion had been given specific orders to watch her, carefully, which is probably why he was suddenly trying to follow her into the bathroom.

And no, it was not because he enjoyed her company so very much, it was probably orders from above, the Hokage had _really_ taken that puppy prank harshly, causing distrust among them.

It was a little saddening.

Anyway, they were now heading back to the jounin meeting room, walking side by side while they conversed.

"You said that the first test of the Chuunin exams is the written, correct?"

He nodded and Miyako pondered questions she could grill him with that he would answer about the test, for she knew that he had to know a least something more than what she'd been told.

She started with something easy: "Is the test hard?"

Lion tipped his head in contemplation before shrugging and pinning her with a hard stare that translated into: 'It depends on the person, but I don't believe so, if you know what you are doing.'

And yes, she did get that all out of one stare.

He asked her a question this time, his shoulders becoming hunched, which meant: "but have you not taken it before?'

"I have, but you recall that the examiner determines the test, Lion."

His shoulders dropped and his visibly nodded, before looking expectantly at her through his mask.

"Hmm, who is the examiner?"

He saw no harm in telling her, as there was no way she could harm him with Lion watching her.

He drew lines across his face, making the message loud and clear.

"Morino Ibiki-san?" She guessed, though she paled when Lion nodded.

"He's going to scare the shit out of those poor Genin."

She knew that none of the Genin had come in contact with Ibiki, because he was solely responsible for the interrogations of suspected persons, which is why she had met him. Had she not come so late in the year she suspected that he wouldn't have bothered with her, but her sudden appearance had been deemed suspicious.

Luckily she was very charming and particularly _persuasive_.

Lion's shoulders silently shook, informing her that he was laughing at her poor friends' expenses.

"I mostly fear for Naruto-kun, he is sure to be intimidated by those many scars the man wears so proudly, I wouldn't even be surprised if he fainted like Hinata-chan."

Lion seemed to be taking much joy in these images as he remained silently laughing until they'd arrived back at the Konoha Jounin's designated hang-out classroom, where he quickly schooled himself as to give the impression that he had _not_ been having a good time while in the girl's presence alone.

"Miyako-chan!" Kakashi immediately cheered upon her re-arrival.

"I've only been gone for a few minutes Kakashi-sensei." Miyako teased as she sat next to the childish man.

"How was the bathroom?" Kurenai was pointedly asking this to Lion, who of course she didn't expect a verbal answer from, she just wanted to mock him at his silent expense.

She was therefore surprised when Miyako translated for him.

"He wants you to know that he didn't go into the bathroom with me, as I wouldn't allow him, but that, if given the opportunity, he would've."

"THAT IS NOT AT ALL APPROPRAITE OR YOUTHFUL, LION-SAN! DO NOT SULLY MIYAKO-CHAN'S SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH!"

Miyako was now the one silently laughing at Lion's expense as he silently glowered at the implied meaning of her statement.

He wouldn't be staring at her for a while, so now she needed something else to busy herself with.

"Hey, Miyako, we were just about to make bets, you in?" Sarutobi Asuma-sensei said from his position next to Kurenai.

Scratch that, make it his _awfully close position_ next to Kurenai, Miyako did not miss the way Asuma's knee would occasionally swing to bump Kurenai's, though he tried to brush it off as his legs being restless.

"A bet on what?" She inquired, amused.

"Whose team will make it out of the first round." He filled in.

"You do not believe that all your teams will make it out successfully?" Miyako frowned lightly at the thought, she wanted all her classmates and friends to make it to the next round.

"Ibiki is tough." Kakashi allowed, becoming particularly somber about the subject.

"I agree," Miyako relented," but is the test? Or do you believe he will intimidate your students into forfeiting?"

It was his forte after all, that's how he'd tried to get information out of her, by attempting to threaten every goal Miyako wished to attain.

"AS UNYOUTHFUL AS IT MAY BE, HE MOST LIKELY WILL CUT THE TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN HALF."

Miyako fully frowned at this notion, thinking over the ramifications if she decided to intervene via sneaking into the exam and posing as one of the Chuunin watchmen to assure that her classmates all passed.

But no, she couldn't do that that would be cheating.

Instead she hardened her heart to the possibilities, though she still garnered hope that they all the Konoha teams would come out successful.

She already knew Suna would.

"What have you bet so far?"

"So far we've completely condemned Kakashi's team, courtesy of Naruto."

She gave a dark chuckle as Kakashi's eye crinkled with a withering glare, a mischievous sparkle taking on her eyes as she met Asuma's brown ones.

"I don't know, I have a feeling that Kakashi-sensei's team will outshine all the rest of yours."

At that Kakashi beamed. "Maa, too bad Asuma, Miyako-chan's on my side."

"That's still 3 against two, Kakashi." Asuma rebuked.

Miyako looked to Lion, who was silently debating the choice in his head before looking at her to confirm his choice, _correctly_ this time if his slanted shoulders were anything to go by.

"Lion agrees that Kakashi's team will probably outdo all of yours, even with Asuma's smart kid, his name's Shikamaru, Lion, Kurenai's bug user, Shino, and Gai's Hyuga prodigy and mini-me, Neji and Lee."

"Haha! That's an even tie!" Kakashi cheered, making the other sensei's roll their eyes at his childishness.

"Although I say that," Miyako suddenly interrupted, her voice teasing, "I do believe that none of you can hold a candle to my charges."

A large discussion broke out at that, it then becoming a duel of wits and, my-horse-is-bigger-than-your-horse argument.

G /M

Gaara found himself bored out of his mind, he had copied the answers off some random person nearly an hour ago, and he was just waiting for this stupid excuse of a test to be over with.

Kankuro had left to "use the restroom" with a Chuunin watchmen who was _clearly_ Karasu, that puppet of his, and it was so obvious that it made Gaara want to roll his eyes until they popped out of his skull.

Many of the Genin were using obvious techniques, showing that this test was clearly not penalizing cheating, at least not obvious and creative cheating, as it was penalizing obvious and _stupid_ cheating.

It became clearly obvious to Gaara when he'd used his third eye _right in their faces_ and they'd done absolutely nothing to penalize him.

Temari, having no techniques to use to cheat, had to wait patiently until Kankuro arrived back with Karasu from the bathroom, where he passed off a small looking pill to the Kunoichi in what Gaara guessed he thought was a discreet style.

It wasn't, but there was no point in telling him that.

Gaara almost sighed in relief when time was called, though he was a bit curious as to what the tenth question could be.

He was therefore very annoyed when it wasn't revealed, but rather Morino-san had tried to intimidate them into leaving and saving their skin in order to participate in the next exams, because according to him, if they got this question wrong, they'd never be able to rank past Genin, _ever._

Gaara visibly scoffed as one coward after another gave in and raised their hands, all exiting with their teammates in hopes of trying again in the next two years.

He glared at the back of Kankuro's head as well as shooting a quick glare at Temari, almost challenging them to follow the rest of the crowd and face his wrath.

They didn't, which was smart of them, but he also knew it wasn't just their fear of him that caused them to stay, but the fear of their father and their loyalty to the village.

Gaara could care less about such things of course, but he'd rather not have to explain to the several troops stationed in wait as well as his father about why he'd decided attacking the pitiful Leaf village was a total waste of his time. It would be too much annoyance and trouble for him to handle.

So he continued to watch as people steadily streamed out, regarding all of them as weak, spineless, pathetic excuse for ninja, and he was surprised to see so few of his classmates had rose and left as well, though they did look very troubled at Ibiki-sensei's warning.

Then he saw something he'd thought he'd never see.

Uzumaki Naruto, that annoying, obnoxious, loud dunce of a blonde, was _raising his hand?_

Gaara would admit that he had no respect for Naruto, in fact if it hadn't been already made clear he _hated_ the blonde.

However, Gaara had also learned quite a few things the past two months he had been forced to endure with said blonde, and he knew that this sudden show of submissive defeat, this sudden out-of-character response, was _not_ Naruto, at all.

He was being slow and deliberate with his raised hand, as if wasn't ashamed of his sudden character change, and Gaara found that he'd lost all respect that he could have ever harbored for the blonde in that one instance; there was never any, but still.

He surveyed the looks of the blonde's teammates, the pink haired girl looking not at all shocked, but sort of proud of her teammate's show of what he could only guess she thought was _bravery_.

The Uchiha, of course, tried to look as if he had no expression on his face, but Gaara could see the underlining of frustration as well as acceptance under his cool gaze.

Then a loud slap resounded from the front and Gaara tore his eyes away from the study of the Uchiha to instead focus on the sudden commotion up front.

Was that…he should have known.

Naruto wasn't forfeiting, he was making one of those irksome declarations that he was known for, yelling at the top of his lungs about how he would one day be Hokage and that one paper test wasn't going ot stop him or something of that nature.

Gaara really didn't know and he really didn't care, he just wanted this test to be over with so that he could go to the hotel and try and persuade Miyako to cook him more gizzards for lunch, as he had been craving them since the last time she'd made them.

He had no doubt that she would bend to his gaze, as she was prone to give Gaara whatever he pleased if he only stared at her long enough.

He vaguely noticed that after Naruto's "speech", not that Gaara would call that string of words he'd put together a speech, no one else had moved out of the classroom.

Maybe they had all caught his idiocy? It could very well be a contagious disease, as sometimes Gaara found that he was losing his sanity around the boy.

Ibiki made a show of presenting the last question, as everyone else made a show of stiffening in their chairs and waiting for what it could possibly be.

Only for it to turn out…to be nothing?

"WHAT?!"

God Gaara wanted Naruto to keep his emotions to himself for once.

"I said, you pass."

'Great, now can I go home?' Gaara thought, but suffered in silence as Naruto demanded to be told what was going on.

Then Anko-sensei had to make an entrance at _the wrong time_ and her presence automatically made every male wary of her.

Gaara was relieved when Ibiki dismissed them, he couldn't teleport out of the room fast enough.

G /M

"He…didn't answer a single question on his test?"

Currently the Konoha jounin, Miyako, her friend/watchdog Lion and Morino Ibiki were at a bar, discussing matters of the first test.

Miyako vaguely thought that this was _sort of _inappropriate, was Ibiki-san really allowed to give out such information? Was it not classified?

But then she found that she was too curious, as we're all the other jounin present, to object much and point out ninja edicts.

Ibiki, clearly inebriated, nodded quickly, stifling a laugh with a quick gulp of his sake.

Miyako sighed, sipping her water through a straw under her scarf.

"I should have known, Naruto's strong suit isn't really paper exams…"

Kakashi was giggling, his cheeks tinted a lovely shade of red and his one eye arching madly.

"I just love the way he made a speech, that's the best part about that kid, his speeches." He trailed off in a slurring giggle.

Kurenai was still pretty sober, as was Asuma, because he was currently trying to get Miyako to drink.

"Oh come now Miyako-chan, certainly one drink won't kill you, or is it that your carefully composed façade crumbles down under the pressure of alcohol?"

Miyako rolled her eyes. "It would do you well to remember that I am only thirteen and not advised to drink, as it could damage my growth."

Asuma chuckled loudly, while Kakashi slung his arm around Miyako's shoulders jostling the girl into Ibiki who only glared drunkenly at the pair.

"But you're such a mature 13 year old, Miyako-chan, you almost remind me of me when I was that age…" And then Kakashi got this far off look in his eye for a moment that had everyone who knew him carefully holding their breath.

Miyako was of course highly confused, that is until Kakashi burst into laughter and somehow managed to drink the drink in front of too quickly for any of their eyes to catch.

"Anyway…What's the next test going to be like?"

"The next exam is potentially the hardest, as it is requires all the survival training the Genin possess."

Miyako's interest peaked at Kurenai's words; she titled her head to show as much.

"They have to make their way through "The Forest Of Death" and collect two scrolls, they are given one at the beginning of the exam and they must steal the corresponding one from another team, they must then make their way to the center of the forest, where a tower resides, from there they are allowed to open the scrolls and have officially passed the second exam." Asuma explained leisurely through sips of his sake.

"What's this Forest of Death like?"

Just as Asuma was going to open his mouth to answer, Gai-sensei suddenly appeared on top of the bar in his signature "Good-Gai" pose to answer her question.

"THE FOREST OF DEATH IS A MOST UNYOUTHFUL PLACE, MIYAKO-CHAN! IT CONTAINS ALL MANNER OF GIANT BUGS AND OTHER UNPLEASANTRIES THAT TEST THE GENIN'S LEVEL OF YOUTH TO ITS EXTREME!"

"Ah." Miyako murmured as she continued to sip her water.

She pointedly looked away when Gai started to dance to a song that had come on overhead.

"I'm betting that my team will make it there first." Asuma put in jovially, also ignoring Gai's dancing, though he couldn't say that for everyone else in the bar that hadn't come with the green-clad man.

"You always bet that your team will triumph, Asuma-san." Miyako pointed out dryly as the man continued puff out his chest.

"Well I can't help it if my students are so excellent, Miyako-chan."

"Maa, I think that _my_ team will make it there first!" Kakashi exclaimed, suddenly wrapping Miyako in a one armed hug again. "Nee, nee, Miyako-chan agrees with me?"

"Unfortunately Kakashi-sensei, I'm going to have to concur with the rest about your team, though I do think they will pass the exam."

Kakashi appropriately whined at Miyako's blatant rejection.

"Who do you think will come in first then, Miyako-chan?" Kurenai inquired.

"Not to sound conceited, but I'm banking on the Sand Siblings, though I do think your team will come in a close second or third, it depends on Gai-sensei's team." Miyako explained.

Kurenai was not miffed by Miyako's honesty, though Asuma scoffed.

"You talk about me, but you do seem to root for your charges an awful lot, Miyako-chan."

Miyako's eyes lit up teasingly at his accusation, "it is of no offense to your team Asuma-sensei, I assure you, I'm merely making an educated and most likely correct assumption, for you do not know Gaara."

"I know he's creepy as hell." Asuma mumbled into his drink.

Miyako relented that Gaara was creepy, reigning in her knee-jerk reaction to bite off anyone's head who _dared_ insult her master, it would look a little odd if she defended him so vehemently when they shared no other bond besides that of a guard and her charge.

No one could know that he meant more to her than that of a charge, or even a master, _not even him_.

"I also know that Shikamaru is lazy as hell." Miyako fired back good-naturedly.

"Oh, touché."

"Why do you think that my team will come in last Miyako-chan?!" Kakashi was back, whining in her ear and looking drunker than he had before their current conversation had started to take place.

Miyako frowned at that, it wasn't that she condemned any of them that was hardly her reasons. She knew that Naruto might be a little of a problem, considering that boy lacked the correct stealth skills, and that Sakura might be a deadweight in their attempts to retrieve their other scroll, and that Sasuke would be his usual haughty self, but she did genuinely believe that they would make it through the exam.

There was just something gnawing at her insides, a sudden foreboding feeling that told her something was going to happen in that forest, and that it wouldn't be pleasant.

She couldn't tell Kakashi that though, he might second guess his decision on entering them into the exam, as he for some reason highly respected her opinion and took her insight on matters very seriously.

She hadn't any idea why, but it was a lot of pressure.

"It's just a feeling." She assured him dismissively, even adding her arch eyed smile to express to him the subjectivity of it all.

He scrutinized her as if he didn't believe it was "just a feeling" for a moment, before shrugging noncommittally and downing another glass of sake in the blink of an eye.

"Maa, Gai-sensei, I'm going to join you in dance!"

Needless to say Miyako was very entertained with the dance-turned dance challenge that unfolded that night.

G /M

Do not get the impression that Miyako wasn't constantly keeping vigil over her charges, because she would most certainly defend that she was, just not in their presence.

That was why Gaara was currently so miffed with her now.

Last night she had not come to the hotel until midnight, whereupon arriving he had stared her down in murderous question and she had simply returned his angry sentiment with something akin to boredom.

It had infuriated him, but when he had went to question her whereabouts she had simply turned on her heel and stated that he should have a good night before disappearing into the hotel.

He had stalked after her, intent on _making_ her speak with him, but he was even further denied when he found that she had occupied the bathroom, using its shower.

Normally such a thing wouldn't deter him, but he wasn't thinking properly that night when he'd screeched to a halt and about faced to stomp to his room.

And so now everyone at the exams would have to suffer his wrath, he wanted gizzards dammit!

Currently they were standing outside a large forest, with which he had faintly heard Anko-sensei call "The Forest of Death" amid his silent ranting.

Just the name made him want to roll his eyes.

She was currently _still _ ranting about the forest, probably cheerfully informing every one of their impending deaths and further freaking out poor saps who hadn't known her by trying to see who's pants she could make piss first.

Ahh, there was the first victim-wait.

Blood. That's what that was, she was making someone bleed right now, and it was driving Gaara crazy.

He snapped his eyes to the ordeal, growling because of his height disadvantage and thus shoving taller people out the way to see what had made the commotion.

He was just in time to see Anko grasping Naruto's cheek in a frightfully perverse and intimidating way and then…lick the blood off.

Alright, he needed to kill someone, and fast, because if he kept looking at this scene he would attack the nearest person at the most inopportune moment.

Luckily the sight of a…woman? He couldn't really tell, but she and her long tongue were creepy as hell as it reached out to give the Anko her missing kunai.

That's it, if that creepy woman crossed his path he would _definitely _ kill her first, there was no reason that someone _that creepy_ deserved to live.

Hell, she was creepier than him! And that was saying something.

But something told him that he wouldn't get the chance to cross paths with the he-she thing, and that the he-she thing was not only a creeper, but a creeper that meant trouble for whomever got in her-his its way.

So he would steer clear, in the meantime he would get this stupid test over with as quickly as possible while still killing as many as possible to sate his sudden skyrocketed blood thirst.

G /M

They were permitted to sit back in the TV room where the ANBU and Anko could keep watch over the exams to make sure they ran as smoothly as possible. Lion was sitting at her right while Kakashi was sitting at her left.

"Maa, Anko, was it really necessary to cut up my student like that?" Kakashi grumbled to her as she entered the small and slightly cramped room with her signature shit eating grin on her face.

"I was making a demonstration of him." She dismissed.

"Yeah, well, thanks to you Gaara's probably going to kill at least one whole team now before reaching the tower." Miyako groused from her seat, glaring at Anko with obvious disdain before redirecting her gaze back to the TV.

"Aww, Miyako-chan, don't get mad at me!" Anko whined, grasping onto the girl's legging in plea.

"No! That was very irresponsible, you _know_ Gaara has issues controlling himself around blood, plus he's feeling extra irritated today so he's bound to take out his irritation in the form of senseless killing." Miyako chastised, before pointedly ignoring the whining kunoichi in favor of intently watching the screen.

Eventually she stopped crying to instead pout at the front of the crammed couch, sighing as she had to do her job.

Miyako guiltily watched the screen and felt the hours slip by as jounin came and went, the only constants being her, Lion, and Anko.

Of course they took breaks to go to the bathroom and occasionally slept, but never for long, as Miyako could barely sleep due to the still lingering traces of Gaara's insomnia in her system coupled with her irrational worry for the safety of her charges.

She did not blink when Gaara mercilessly killed the team of Rain ninja, as she had predicted it and they were even foolish to think that they could run their big mouths and stand up to him, but she did stiffen quite considerably when he turned his gazes on Team 8, who were hiding in the bushes.

"No." She heard Kurenai whisper beside her, and she had to steel herself from teleporting to their exact spot and assuring Team 8's survival herself.

Luckily Gaara was feeling merciful, for she doubted Kankuro or Temari's pleas had any effect on him; after all he could sense their fear of him and it just drew him deeper into himself.

A few days passed without incident, until a sudden uproar came to pass.

She hadn't noticed it at first, as Lion had kept her very occupied when the camera wasn't on her precious few, and when it was she was very riveted, and none could tear her from the screen, but she had undoubtedly noticed Anko's absence.

"Lion?" She addressed, and he drew his gaze to her face.

"Where is Anko-sensei?"

She caught his hesitation a moment before he carefully concealed it, and she knew that his answer would be carefully worded to keep as much information from her as possible.

His stare read: 'She is taking precautions for the exam, as she has been instructed to'

Vague, while still keeping her in the loop it was as vague as he could express, and she had a feeling that something had happened during the exam, something that had to do with Konoha and Konoha alone, though that was all she could discern.

She dropped the subject, looking back to the screen when she thought she'd heard Sasuke's scream.

When she'd clarified that that was indeed Sasuke she looked carefully to Kakashi, who was looking blankly at the screen though he could see his shoulders tense as they suddenly disappeared from view.

She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and he relaxed minutely. They gave each other tense nods of understanding before they gave the screen their full attention once again.

Miyako felt something heavy and uncomfortable settle in her gut, Anko's disappearance, Team 7's being target by a strange grass ninja, they were all irrelevant problems to any Sand ninja that seemed to bear no connection to each other, but she had a sinking feeling that somehow they were all actually _very _similar.

"Lion." She whispered, to where no else heard.

She felt his gaze on her, steadfast; waiting.

"I'm suddenly very scared." She said quietly, and she could just feel him agree beside her.

G /M

Well, that's it. The next chapter will be a little more exciting and informative, I promise.

I don't need to tell you what I require anymore, right? No? Didn't think so.

See you later my peeps!

Something, Frowning, Acronym.


	9. Insight

A/N: Reviews, they're so refreshing.

Anyway, this chapter is kind of filler, but still important mind you, and goes backwards a little to the first and second exam, which we've already covered. The only difference is that this goes over some of the events and thoughts of Miyako that I failed to mention, and so now am dedicating a whole chapter to.

Hence, why this chapter is called: Insight.

Oh, and here's a reminder, both to myself and to you, about the promise of a sneak preview of _Monster_ for the next chapter, my new fic that I will be writing.

I can't tell you much about it, because then that would ruin the surprise, but I can tell you that it takes place after the Fourth Shinobi War. Run with that how you will.

Here's the return of the Disclaimer.

Disclaimer: Why do I have to keep doing this? Anyway, SFA does not own _Naruto_ can never hope to own _Naruto_ can never even dream to own _Naruto-_

SFA: Okay! We get your point, please shut up so we can get on with this. K? K.

Enjoy!

Insight

"How was the pre-game pep talk?" Miyako grinned at the form of Kakashi as he entered, looking amused.

"Good, I'm glad Sakura decided to participate, who knows what Naruto and Sasuke would've done if she hadn't?"

He didn't look as bothered by the answer as Miyako would've hoped, but there was a few times where she couldn't read him as well as she could read other people…say for instance Gaara.

"I'm glad." She cheered softly to herself as Kakashi made himself comfortable in a spot next to her.

"Are others supposed to joining us?" She asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"Yes, Asuma, Kurenai and Gai-sensei are going to be present." Kakashi cracked open his eye that he had serenely closed.

"And what of the Sand Siblings jounin sensei? Is he going to come?"

Miyako carefully schooled her expressive eyes so that they would not show the scowl present at the mere mention of the man's name.

"Ah, well, Baki-sensei does not enjoy such social affairs."

"So he is not attending."

"No, I'm afraid he has much more pressing matters to attend to."

'Like finalizing invasion plans upon your village.'

"Not even to check up on the state of his student's wellbeing?"

"He has complete faith in them, he feels they are more than capable of handling themselves."

"And you?" Kakashi questioned softly, and she wondered why he was being so cautious with her feelings, what could he possibly have to fear from her reaction? He couldn't have known how much she cared for the Sabaku family, or for more important matters Gaara, could he?

"I just can't seem to stifle my paranoia." She trilled lightheartedly, as if she was countering whatever intelligence he possessed with assurance that she was just doing her job.

"What's Baki-sensei like?" Kakashi continued to chat, tone back to its even lilt.

Inside she wrinkled her nose in revulsion of a _few_ of his qualities: Pig headed-ness, inflamed ego, silent suspicion and obvious obnoxious views.

However…

"He is a very dedicated Shinobi, loyal, protective and an overall proud leader."

And she wasn't particularly lying when she'd listed those, she did admit to Baki's more redeeming qualities when she wanted to, it was just often that he'd pissed her off to the point that she couldn't see past the surface traits.

"Ah." He trailed his eyes over to the door, where Kurenai and Asuma-sensei entered, discussing something quietly amongst themselves.

"Ohayo!" Miyako cheered once the two had realized that there were others in the room, the two men beside her giving a similar head nod in greeting.

"Ohayo Miyako-chan, Kakashi-san, Lion-san."

"Where is Gai-sensei?" Miyako asked, as he had not yet arrived, as she assumed that he'd be with them, after all what else did the man have to do?

The two shrugged together, sitting very close, which only made their two masked companions gaze at them with obvious understanding and mirth shining in their uncovered eyes. As for their totally masked companion, no one knew what he was thinking save for Miyako.

They fell into amicable chatter as they waited for their final member, the loud and boisterous Gai-sensei, all wondering what could possibly be holding him up.

The door slamming open with a powerful boom all drew them to its opening, all not surprised to find the green-clad man there, doing a "Nice-Gai" pose, as usual.

"GREETINGS MY WONDERFUL FRIENDS, HOW ARE YOU ON THIS FINE YOUTHFUL DAY?!"

"Fine until you got here." Asuma grumbled as the man marched into the room, seating himself on the U couch next to Kakashi, which just so happened to be the very apex, where everyone could easily look at him.

"What took you so long Gai-sensei?" Miyako inquired politely, turning a little in between Lion and Kakashi to gaze at him fully.

"AH, MIYAKO-CHAN, MY WONDERFUL FLOWER, IT IS NICE TO SEE YOU AMONG THE REST OF US!"

The girl smiled patiently.

"I APOLOGIZE FOR MY UNYOUTHFUL TARDINESS, AS I HAD TO SEPARATE A FIGHT BETWEEN MY YOUTHFUL STUDENT LEE AND MY ETERNAL RIVAL'S STUDENT SASUKE-KUN!"

Asuma leaned forward from the opposite side of the couch, eyes glinting with excitement.

"Well don't leave us hanging Gai, what happened?"

Kakashi too seemed interested, although he was much more lax in his reaction, curiously waiting for Gai to continue.

"I DID NOT WITNESS THE WHOLE MATCH, BUT I AM VERY DISSAPPOINTED IN MY STUDENT'S UNYOUTHFUL DECISION, AS THE MOVE HE WAS ENACTING ON POOR SASUKE-KUN COULD'VE SERIOUSLY INJURED HIM!"

"So he was beating Sasuke like I thought." Miyako murmured, which inadvertently made Asuma burst into laughter and Kakashi pout.

"I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT YES, THIS YOUTHFUL MATCH WAS IN FAVOR OF MY PUPIL."

"Did you at least see who started the fight, Gai?" Kurenai wondered aloud.

"THE CHALLENGE WAS MADE OUT BY LEE, THAT IS FOR CERTAIN!"

"Yes, because why would Sasuke pick a fight with anyone besides me?" Miyako added, truthfully.

"Oh yeah, don't you owe that kid a rematch?" Asuma smirked, fiddling with his unlit cigarette as he appraised her.

"It wouldn't be much of a rematch, as the results would be the same."

Even if she was steadily grower weaker, she added in her head.

Asuma chortled, spiting Kakashi, who only continued to frown beneath his mask.

"IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, ESTEEMED RIVAL, SASUKE-KUN APPEARED TO BE MOSTLY UNSCATHED, AND HAD EVEN ACTIVATED HIS SHARINGAN."

At the mention of the dreaded doujutsu Miyako could not stop the automatic stiff posture that overtook her body.

She calmed considerably when eyes landed on her, pretending as if she hadn't just shown obvious distaste for the jutsu.

"Something wrong, Miyako-chan?"

She quickly came up with a deterring conversation topic, as it would seem very suspicious to have to explain a fear of a doujutsu that she was never supposed to have even encountered.

"Oh, nothing." She said breezily. "You did not look very surprised at Gai-sensei's mention of the Sharingan."

"Sasuke-kun had manifested the jutsu on our last mission." Kakashi answered simply.

She had recalled that Naruto-kun and team had been missing the first few days of the week before exams, and she faintly remembered Naruto chatting excitedly to her about a "super hard mission" the group had traversed on, but she had thought nothing of it considering that's how Naruto described _all_ his missions.

Now though, she wasn't so sure if it had been such a simple D rank as she had thought it would be, something big had to have happened for the Uchiha to awaken his Sharingan, but why hadn't Naruto told her? She was sure the boy would've grumbled a mention about it if he had known…unless he didn't?

She knew the boy was unobservant sometimes, but how could he have missed something so pivotal and crucial? Unless something in the mission had distracted him…?

She was pulled from her thoughts with Kakashi's next question.

"Have you had an encounter with the Sharingan, Miyako-chan?"

Was it just her, or had Kakashi's voice become much harder than before? And he was staring at her as if he was going to yank the information out of her with that lone grey eye of his.

"No, but I've heard the rumors." She lied thickly, because if she was thirteen as she was posing to be, and originally from Sunagakure, there was no way she would've ever gotten a chance to witness the jutsu, prodigy or not.

"You seemed very stiff when it was mentioned for your experience to be just rumors." Kakashi pointed out with an innocent voice that was underlying with tones of suspicion.

"Are you suggesting that I not be afraid of a very real and dangerous technique, Kakashi-sensei? One would have to be very brave or a fool not to fear the Sharingan."

And yes, that was a subtle snapping tone she had used beneath her lighthearted lilt, it clearly stated back-the-hell-off and had seemed to do its job if Kakashi's change of subject was anything to go by.

"Maa, Gai-sensei, you should keep better watch of your students." That got the unusually quiet jounin into a flurry of teasing conversation.

Miyako couldn't participate, as she had become very stiff with the subject still looming over the air in and ingrained in everyone's minds, and the image of that cursed red and black eye was haunting the back of her eyelids every time she blinked, with it came the images of Uchiha Madara.

"I'm going to the bathroom." She murmured quietly into the rambunctious space, rising and taking her leave with Lion right on her tail.

G /M

Their time in the small room had been very relaxing despite the circumstances, and when Kakashi looked at the clock looming over the wall he proudly announced:

"Exam's over, and just in time for the bars to be open."

The jounin, save for Miyako of course, collectively cheered as they rose from their seats, circuiting around the small glass coffee table littered with half full glasses and water rings, excitedly.

"A bar?" Miyako mumbled as she followed after them, not quite sure on what to do with this present situation.

At her present age was she even allowed inside of one? She looked down at herself with a critical eye, examining her body and her outfit in terms of an adult mind.

Long sleeved fishnet top, with a gold studded black bikini top underneath, sheer black skirt with a dangerous slit up the right side where her kunai holster rested near the middle of her thigh over black leggings that stretched down to standard black ninja sandals. Her "borrowed" Suna headband was around her neck, just under the end of the black scarf that covered the lower half of her face.

She supposed she could pass as an adult, her figure wasn't as…curvaceous as it would be in the future, but her height and radiating maturity would probably fool many who didn't know her into thinking she was much older than she actually was, not that she already wasn't, rather that she _looked._

Hanging out with other older jounin would probably help her image too.

Wait, she froze in thought, which made her pause at the doorway almost shyly as he thoughts took a turn, was she technically invited to this impromptu pow-wow, or had Kakashi just suggested that for the _older_ jounin of the company, expecting her to run home to tend to the siblings?

Now that she thought it over that was probably the case, and she sort of _did_ have to tend to the siblings, at least she thought so, after all something could happen to them! Even though most of the time something rarely _did_ happen to them, but still it was good to be cautious, right?

There was really no point in arguing with herself about this, she had a job, she couldn't just go and hang out with the _actual _jounin as if they were friends, and all things considered they probably didn't see her that way anyway. They probably didn't even think of her as an equal, much less a friend now that she dwelled on it, after all she was _thirteen_, the same age as most of their students, what right did _she_ have to hang out with them?

The thought actually kind of stung though, were they really just being courteous? Would they rather her _not_ join them? She sort of wished now that Gaara had wished for her to understand other people as well and not _just him_, although she would never complain.

"MIYAKO-CHAN, WHY DO YOU STAND SO DEJECTEDLY AT THE DOORWAY?! COME MY BEAUTIFUL LOTUS, WE SHALL CONTINUE OUR MERRYMAKING AT A HIP BAR!"

That loud exclamation, and the persistent tug that came with it via Gai's own two hands, were what suddenly pulled her out of her spiraling thoughts.

"Maa, Gai-sensei, do not just assume that Miyako-chan wants to attend a bar with us, where are your youthful manners?" Kakashi chastised comically, flicking his friends ear for added effect.

"MY ESTEEMED RIVAL HAS MADE YET ANOTHER FINE POINT! I BEG YOUR FORGIVENESS, MIYAKO-CHAN MY FLOWER!" And then he fell to his knees in a semi-reverent position that had Miyako looking quite embarrassed.

"Gai-sensei please rise." She murmured her cheeks aflame at the combination of Gai's foolish looking pleas and the other Jounin's chortling in the background.

"ONLY AFTER I HAVE RECEIVED YOUR UPTMOST FORGIVENESS!"

"You have it, I assure you!" She glared daggers at the other laughing jounin who quickly stopped and pretended to be in a fascinating conversation with Lion.

"THANK YOU!" Gai then enveloped her in a tight hug before quickly releasing, manly sparkling tears of youth threatening to fall.

"Ehem, now, Miyako-chan, would you like to accompany us to the bar?" Kakashi asked with teasing tone and a flourish of a cheesy hand motion.

Miyako rolled her eyes as Asuma quickly jumped in.

"You could even have one drink, I'll pay, no one will even notice! And then maybe we can coerce you to take that scarf off!"

Miyako snorted a laugh, "Right."

She could feel Lion glaring at them, not only because he was uncomfortable with their previous little joke, but because of the threat of…Miyako's privacy being compromised?

She had to stop herself from bursting into joyous tears and glomping her silent friend into oblivion. He was just so precious!

"Nevertheless I will attend." She answered the expectant jounin.

"YAY!" They cheered simultaneously, but before Kakashi could start to pull her away, Lion got to her first, glaring them all down as he took the arm he deemed "his Miyako arm", which was her right one, and gently dragging her away once the procession started moving.

Yes, Lion was really adorable when he was being overprotective.

G /M

They got settled rather quickly, the adults ordering drinks and pestering Miyako once again if she would like one, _just one_, but of course she refused.

She and Lion were the only ones without alcohol, Miyako simply ordering water with a straw and Lion ordering nothing and keeping a very watchful eye on Miyako, though she doubted the reasons behind such a stare were purely for distrustful intentions.

But what did she know?

They held a toast, which Miyako participated in, for good news regarding the exams, and to drink even heavier if it was bad. That had Miyako rolling her eyes.

She was only languidly sipping her water when something drew her attention to the other side of the bar.

It was dim in there, as well as warm and a little crowded, jounin of all types sitting around in booths and some in very…erm, _unconventional_ places, some even sitting on the floor as drunk as they were, blocking the doorway partially. They were sitting at the counter closest to the entrance, packed in tightly with only one seat left beside Miyako at the far end of the bar, as there were only eight seats.

She didn't know how, but Kakashi had somehow managed to deny Lion access to her coveted right hand seat, and that Gai-sensei would simply _not_ allow Lion to vacate his company, as he was squished between Gai and Kakashi.

Poor Lion.

Anyway, back to the entrance of the bar, it was obviously a popularly known Jounin spot, if the number of Jounin present had anything to say, and so she did not know why another sudden entrance would perk her interest, but she soon got her answer.

"Ibiki-san?" She guessed, squinting through the dim lighting for the trademark scars crossing his face.

His forehead-cap protector glinted in the low light, and his scars only became visible as he stepped under a nearby hanging light en route to their spot.

"IBIKI-SAN!" Gai clarified for her, and his features finally became distinguishable as he stepped into the brighter bar area.

He nodded his head once to the group before taking the available seat next to Miyako.

"Miyako-san." He tipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Ibiki-san." She answered right back, giving him the same treatment.

There was a mutual understanding between them after brief interrogation session; since he had found no guilt in her, from what he could tell anyway, he had given her the polite respect he thought she deserved, recognizing her as a fellow Shinobi and above all as an equal.

She only wished that _some_ people would do the same.

"Maa, how was the exams, Ibiki-san?" Kakashi started conversationally after Ibiki had ordered himself pricey sake.

"Don't worry, all of your brats passed." Ibiki assured them, smiling in an almost relieved way when the sake was placed in front of him.

Gai gave a celebratory whoop and downed a whole two cups of sake; the others celebrated accordingly, downing their cups as well, before settling their stares on Miyako, Asuma's the most wolfish.

She sighed, raising her cup with a clear liquid that was most _definitely_ not sake and taking another languid sip from her bendy straw.

When the Jounin rolled their eyes at her antics she added to the celebration by twiddling her paper umbrella that the bartender had served in the drink as a joke high in the air, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Maa, I think Miyako-chan hasn't had enough to drink!" Kakashi sang, slapping his hand on the counter, his eye arched up in a smile. "Oi! Can I get a bottle over here?" Kakashi then leered at her, "you want a sip?"

She was just about to decline, when she saw Lion place his hand firmly on Kakashi's shoulder, silently warning him that _he was still here_, she could tell by the set of his shoulders.

"Maa, Lion-chan, just a joke, just a joke." Kakashi assured, pouring himself another helping and sipping it _through_ _his mask_ at the careful scrutiny of Lion.

"Stop, Lion." Miyako chastised, and watched the man tensely turn his head to stare at a nearby wall.

"So, anything interesting happen, Ibiki?" Asuma asked, steering them clear of Lion's overprotective issues.

"Well," The man mused, his cheeks a light pink, "there was these Sound ninja punks who picked a fight with some silver haired Konoha Shinobi before the exam started."

"Really?" Miyako sounded quite alarmed, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall ever seeing any Sound Shinobi in school, and could not picture any.

She knew they existed, after all Suna was in allegiance with them for the upcoming invasion, but she had not glimpsed one of them during her stay there.

"Why?" Kurenai murmured, also appalled.

Ibiki shrugged, "I think I heard one of the Chuunin whispering that the silver haired kid provoked them or something."

"That's not good." Miyako mumbled under her breath.

"The provocation or the attack?" Kakashi filled in, his eye curiously awaiting her answer.

"Either. Isn't this the Sound's first year in the exams?"

"Yes." Ibiki answered.

"It doesn't look good to attack another nation's Shinobi. Were they the only representatives?"

"As far as I could tell." Ibiki clipped, which translated into a 99.99% chance of him being correct.

"It's even worse considering they're the only ones to represent their village; it gives disgrace onto Sound's name."

"Maa, Miyako-chan, you sound very condescending right now, I almost forgot you were only thirteen for a moment." Kakashi commented from her right, and she saw a flash of his hands before she turned to address him.

"It's probably just the alcohol." She teased, looking poignantly at her companions slightly red cheeks.

Kakashi chuckled, "Any other interesting incidents to report, Ibiki-san?"

"I did hear one of the Chuunins mention that one of Gai's students stopped a fight between him and the Uchiha."

Everyone's interest peeked at that, though Miyako wasn't too surprised, it linked Lee and Sasuke's fight together; gave it meaning.

"My, my Kakashi-sensei; Gai-sensei, your students are stopping and starting fights all over the place today." Miyako poked fun.

"Why was a Chuunin even starting a fight between a Genin anyway?" Kurenai inquired quizzically.

"He was playing with some of the Genin on the second floor; I believe he said he was "trying to test their worth" or something of that matter." Ibiki chimed, starting to look a little more drunk.

They talked about other things from there, dared a drunk Gai and a drunk Kakashi to do many more ridiculous challenges and then shared one last toast for the future success of their students in the exams before they parted ways.

Lion walked Miyako home, checking her over with what she guessed he thought was subtlety, while she chatted him up about the next exam.

He didn't give her much more than she'd already garnered, simply reaffirming that Anko was the proctor, which made her shiver in fear for the poor Genin, and that people would probably, but then fixed his statement, most _certainly_ die, which she felt was a jab at her poor, misunderstood Gaara-chan, he denied it of course, but she was still suspicious.

They landed on the hotel's rooftop at about midnight, having spent almost _10 hours_ in the older Jounins' company.

Gaara was waiting for her when she arrived, glaring daggers at both her and Lion, who hesitantly left her side with a silent nod and a small poof of smoke that identified his teleportation jutsu.

They stared each other down for several minutes, well, he _glared_ her down, she just briefly analyzed his condition and when satisfied stared back as boredly as she could muster until she could take no more.

When he opened his mouth to demand of her most likely where she had been, she abruptly bid him: Good night and then left away to the bathroom, she heard him following, but she managed to beat him to the bathroom and lock the door, quickly turning on the shower in hopes of deterring him.

It did, thankfully, and so she got ready to sleep, and by _sleep_, she really meant sit and muddle over her thoughts while simultaneously keeping watch over the Sand Siblings.

It was a long night.

G /M

She met her group of Jounin "friends" in the TV room, and while they waited for the real events to begin, they exchanged pleasantries and began to speculate on Anko's scare tactics for this exam.

"She had better not spill any blood, that's all I'm concerned about." Miyako grumbled after a few ideas were tossed around.

"Maa, Miyako-chan, you look agitated today, what's wrong?" Kakashi inquired after the girl had made her statement.

"Nothing." Was her short reply, though she was currently thinking about her confrontation with Gaara last night and her successful avoidance of him this morning.

Kakashi dropped it and they spoke more about their teams and some missions and just random topics that came up and flowed easily with the conversation.

Miyako was just starting to feel at ease with her company and really fall into a more lax state, when an ANBU appeared, cutting off their conversation.

"Kakashi-san, Gai-san, Kurenai-san, Asuma-san and Miyako-san have been asked to convene at the 44th Training Grounds to be interviewed for an Academy newspaper article." The ANBU relayed after receiving their full attention.

Miyako blinked, her mind rapidly churning about what this could mean as the ANBU was dismissed.

"They must want to interview the Sensei's of the teams in the Chuunin exams for their paper." Kakashi answered her silent, but still clear question in her eyes.

At that mention she instantly knew what they were going to inquire her about: her fight with Sasuke.

Someone had probably noticed, and as such pointed out, that she had used absolutely _no_ hand signs during that battle. It was no doubt the Hokage had authorized this interview due to his suspicion.

She made the most common used Teleportation Jutsu hand sign, Tiger, and then simply spiked her magic to transport her there.

Really, when one thought about it, Chakra and magic weren't really all that different, it was just that one required hand signs and the other did not, only the will of someone's mind.

She could not simply tell them that though, it would not be accepted, and so she had to think up lies to feed to the academy children.

She thought up a dramatic and creative way of appearing outside the Forest of Death, whipping her scarf off of her face and seemingly making herself disappear just before it disappeared. She then appeared right after the scarf appeared at their destination; quickly whipping her scarf back to its proper place.

Her mind was spinning with ideas as she walked casually with the other Jounins off to the side of the large group that had gathered. She would've assessed the group with her eyes, to make absolutely sure that Gaara wasn't in any bodily harm as of yet, but she was so preoccupied with her cover story that she didn't even bother to check, trusting her sixth sense that promised her that Gaara was A-Okay.

They came upon a semi-secluded spot just near some trees, where three small children were animatedly interviewing Team 7, the loudest pair being Naruto and a small brown haired boy dressed in a long blue scarf, goggles, a yellow shirt of some design and khaki shorts.

"It looks like they're almost done." Kakashi murmured beside Miyako, his face buried in some sort of orange book that had Miyako blinking curiously at the cover.

The other Jounin didn't seem at all fazed by this behavior and simply waited for the interviewers to be free so they could continue on with the exams, while at the same time eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Ano, Kakashi-sensei, what book is that that you're reading?" Miyako voiced her curiosity as Kakashi's eyes seemed to rove intensely on each word on the page.

"Hm?" He looked to Miyako, who had tilted her masked face to him and then looked back to the interview process and cheerfully changed the topic. "Oh look, they're done." He snapped his book closed and slid it smoothly into one of his many pouches.

Just when she was about to accuse him of hiding something, which he clearly was, Naruto took her attention.

"Miyako-chan!"

She turned to observe the boy running full force towards her, her eyes already speaking of the generous amount of warmth she had for the boy before she could school it, but when she scanned him over she grew slightly rigid, instantly noticing the shallow cut on his face.

'Who did that? Kakashi-sensei and even Ibiki-san assured me that no one was allowed to fight unless permitted in the exams, and the second exam hasn't even started, so why would Naruto already have a wound? Was it an accident? No, I bet those Sound ninja were acting up again, but wouldn't Anko have already taken measures to see that they were disqualified?'

A thousand more thoughts raced through her head at the simple scar, but she couldn't help but be worried for her young friend, after all he was a prime target for some of the more nastier ninja. But she couldn't let him know that she worried for him, he would complain that he could take care of himself and the others might tease him…plus it also didn't look good if Baki found out that she was fretting over Naruto's safety, again, though she would easily make up some lie to cover for it.

So instead she gave him a dazzling eye smile in return, "Naruto, how was being in the spotlight?"

The boy cheesed, rubbing the back of his head as he stopped in front of her; his grin wide. "Well Miyako-chan, I am the greatest, so…"

Miyako played along, nodding seriously though her eyes sparkled with mirth, "of course."

"Nee, nee, Miyako-chan, what are you doing here with the other senseis?" Naruto wondered aloud.

"I've been called to interview, Naruto-kun, I am just as important as you, you know?" She teased.

"Oh! Konohamaru, you're interviewing the senseis and Miyako-chan too?" Naruto inquired to the brown haired child.

"Yeah! Especially Maki Miyako-san, she's the talk of the Academy right now, everyone wants to know about how she defeated Sasuke in her initiation match."

Miyako giggled mockingly at Sasuke's obvious flare of disdain at the subject, though she tried to make them sound more embarrassed than anything, while her Jounin _friends_ became suddenly _very_ interested .

"Nee, Sasuke-kun, you're looking at little red in the face." Kakashi shamelessly poked fun at his student, who only growled in response.

"Make sure you get all the good stuff in Miyako-chan's interview Konohamaru!" Naruto advised before Sasuke grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him away, mumbling things about how he would get a rematch and he just _wished_ he had gotten stuck with another team.

"So…" Miyako started awkwardly as all the Jounin stared expectantly at she and the children.

"Ah…well, I'm conducting your interview, Miyako-san…" Konohamaru informed nervously, attempting to hide behind the genie-turned ninja in fear of the other Jounin's looks.

"Udon and I will be conducting the rest of the interviews, as a group." The only girl of the mini-squad also nervously informed, deflating in relief when the Jounin seemed to pout.

"Why don't we go over there, Konohamaru-kun?" Miyako suggested, pointing to a grouping of trees, _far away _from the rest of the nosy Jounin.

"Yep! Sure!" He quickly agreed, tugging her away from the still pouting Jounin.

They got settled by the trees, Miyako sitting cross-legged on the soft, green grass across from her tiny little interrogator, patiently waiting for the onslaught to begin.

"First off, the Academy would like to welcome you to Konoha." Konohamaru started, and she smiled slightly back at him, though she was very uncomfortable with these means of interrogation.

'It's sort of low of the Hokage to send a small, little boy to interrogate me, does he think I'm less inclined to lie to someone so small? Or does he think I'll let my guard down because this isn't an official interrogation and that its only getting published in an insignificant Academy newspaper? Either way he has underestimated the lengths I will go to lie for my master.'

"Thank you." She replied politely, keeping a tiny smile in place.

"How long have you been a Jounin, Miyako-san?"

It sounded suspiciously like a question Ibiki had first asked her and so she used the appropriate answer.

"It hasn't been too long, almost a year now." She feigned thought before nodding to the boy to continue.

"You must've been a prodigy to make Jounin so young."

She laughed lightly in bashful dismissiveness, "I wouldn't necessarily use the word prodigy, but I was a hard worker, so I guess that paid off."

"Had you ever been to Konoha before these exams?"

Another similar question to Ibiki's; if the interview continued this way the Hokage would get really frustrated with her vague and evasive answers.

"No, I've hardly traveled outside of Suna's walls, much less to Konoha."

"Do you like it here so far?"

That was a genuinely new one, she figured he had to ask her at least some meaningless questions to make it seem like a real article.

"Yes, but I am quite homesick, though the weather here is much cooler than at home." She joked lightly, giving Konohamaru a double U arch smile.

He laughed a little before continuing, "What's it like having the privilege of guarding the Sand siblings?"

"It is an honor, I couldn't have asked the Kazekage for a better task and I'm glad he chose me to protect his most precious children."

"What are the Sand Siblings like, in the time that you've known them?"

"Well, Temari is the oldest, as you know, very headstrong always knows exactly what she wants and has no qualms about voicing her opinion, but she can be quite the demure lady when it counts. Kankuro is the oldest brother, almost as opinionated as Temari, which is why they get into little spats here and there, but he is mostly laid back. He is slowly working his way up in his craft of puppetry, which I personally find very difficult, and has a great work ethic, I see future leader in him one day. As for Gaara he mostly quiet, probably the most serious out of all the siblings, he likes to be alone most times and is a little antisocial, but overall is largely misunderstood by a lot of the people he meets. He is capable of many great things with his amazing control over sand and a cool exterior to match, great in the face of danger, and an overall superb ninja."

She might have said too much too fast, what with the way Konohamaru was frantically scribbling down the information, she feared that she almost said too much about Gaara, dissecting her former words in her head and realizing that she _had_ said more about Gaara than the two other siblings combined. But by the way Konohamaru continued to question her easily and with no suspicion, she figured he didn't catch on to it. She was just glad she hadn't spilled more personal information that nearly none knew besides she and Gaara, which she wasn't supposed to know more importantly.

"Speaking of superb ninja, everyone wants to know the secret to your jutsu and how you managed to defeat Sasuke without forming a single hand sign."

This is what she was waiting for, the _real_ meat of the interrogation.

"It's quite simple Konohamaru-kun, the secret is…" She grinned as he leaned closer, his excitement and suspense thinly veiled behind wide eyes.

"Chakra control."

"What?!" The boy exclaimed, drawing the attention of the other Jounin barely ten feet away, as well as the scattered groups around the area.

"Shh, shh." Miyako shushed playfully as he continued to look at her skeptically. "Do you want everyone to know?"

"But how?!" Konohamaru continued, but in a softer tone of voice.

"It's sort of a trait of my clan, the Maki are supposed to possess immense control of their chakra to even perform one jutsu, that's why we last so long in battle."

She knew she was giving away more than she needed to, but she figured if she gave the Hokage more than he asked for he'd leave her alone; she could only hope.

"So, you just…but the flying-"

"Levitation, Konohamaru-kun. It's easy to explain. You know the tree-climbing technique and the water walking technique?" When he nodded she continued in an informative tone, acting as his instructor.

"Well, it's also possible to channel chakra to the other parts of your body as well, but I'm sure you knew that. With both aforementioned techniques, you expel the chakra in a steady stream from your body to create kind of an invisible current that acts against the surface of the tree or the surface of the water, pushing against it minutely. With the levitation technique you follow the same process, except you push chakra to every part of your body and control the current to either push you down or up, rushing the chakra in excess to control direction."

"But chakra is supposed to be largely invisible, so why did yours create a purple cloak?"

"Since the levitation technique takes so much more chakra than either the water walking or tree climbing, the chakra becomes visible, and since you push chakra to every part of the body with the levitation technique, it creates a cloak around you. Does that make sense?"

"But you said that water walking and tree climbing push against something, like the tree or water, so how is the levitation technique along the same lines as those jutsu?"

It would of floored anyone else, except Miyako, because that's just how far ahead she planned her answers.

"Simple…you push air."

"WHAT?!"

By now everyone was staring at them straight out, all subtlety lost at Konohamaru's second exclamation, and they looked _very_ curious at what the two could be talking about.

"But-but, air isn't even solid-"

"Neither is water."

"Alright…" He got a far off look on his face before turning back to her, curious. "So, you mean if I just practice really hard on chakra control, I could learn to levitate just like you, Miyako-san?" He looked so hopeful as he stared expectantly at her, his eyes pleading for her to say yes.

It wasn't as if she actually _knew_ the answer to that question, after all she didn't know anything about jutsu or how they worked, and she just made up the first plausible explanation she could think of for her lack of hand signs. For all she knew there could very well be a levitation technique somewhere out there in the ninja world that she knew nothing about, that could very well use the exact same principles she was lying through her teeth about.

She doubted it, but what did she know?

"Perhaps." She answered mysteriously, giggling a bit when the boy pouted, but only to hide her shame at having to give a young boy such a false sense of hope.

'I'm such scum.' She grumbled in her head, wondering silently how many Academy students were going to try to jump from their roofs in an attempt to "fly".

"But what about inhaling the Grand Fireball technique, and then spewing it back out!" Konohamaru said excitedly, also looking expectant of this answer.

"Another chakra control technique, though that one is much harder." She quickly stated, deflating the child just a little.

"You know about Chakra absorption techniques?" He nodded, impatient.

"I simply coated my mouth and my esophagus with extra chakra, to protect them from the effects from the elemental chakra, my chakra then took Sasuke's fire chakra and collected it into a…sort of orb I guess, absorbed the chakra of the orb, and then used the chakra of my core to push it back out, keeping its main state, but simply changing the chakra applied to it."

"That's why it was purple?"

"That's why it was purple."

"Huh, so could I do that?" He asked, excited again.

"Maybe when you're older." She lied again, wincing minutely when the boy wasn't looking.

That, she knew, was most definitely a lie, she definitely wouldn't have been able to such a feat without the help of magic. And she hardly doubted someone could have that much control over their chakra to inhale a fireball, and even if they did, she hardly doubted they'd be able to spit one back out unless they were gifted with a fire chakra.

"And that hand thing you did to Sasuke, knocking him unconscious, how did you do that?"

"Chakra control, again." She answered, making the boy sigh dramatically. "I created a layer on my hand and used Sasuke's head as if it was a tree or the surface of a body of water. I expelled my chakra until it penetrated and momentarily blocked off his chakra from circulating to his brain, causing him to be knocked unconscious."

"Whoa." Konohamaru looked off into space, probably digesting everything that she'd said.

She watched uncomfortably, while her eyes said something of playful mirth, her thoughts were running rampant with guilt at lying to the impressionable child and she couldn't help but blame the Hokage for these thoughts, if he had just accepted her first interrogation she wouldn't have to make up such elaborate lies.

"Is that all, Konohamaru-kun?" She asked, her thoughts were becoming too much to bear, couple this with the fact that the boy looked as if he would idolize her for nothing but lies and you have a very mopey Miyako.

"Huh? Yes, sorry. Thank you very much, Miyako-san." He rose quickly, bowing his respect to the girl, who dismissed his bow bashfully and petted his head after rising.

"Thank you, Konohamaru-kun. You can call me Miyako-chan from now on, okay? And remember what I told you about practicing chakra control. Oh, and don't tell Naruto any of our little conversation, alright?"

He nodded happily, "Alright, Miyako-nee-chan!"

She couldn't help but blush at his added suffix, though it was more out of a strange pleasure than her normal bashful blushes she'd shown him in the last twenty minutes.

"All done, Miyako-chan?" Kakashi said behind her shoulder.

She snickered childishly when Konohamaru jumped and patted his head once again, but comfortingly as he hid behind her leg, glaring at Kakashi.

"Hai, hai."

The Jounin were all giving her, Konohamaru and each other expectant looks, as if they were waiting for someone to comment on the interview or ask the dreaded question.

Miyako didn't even allow it. "Are we going back?" She inquired nonchalantly, while her undertone clearly said: "you ain't gettin' nothing out of me."

"Hai." Kakashi replied, his eye arching into a familiar smile.

"Well then, come on." She motioned to the others to go ahead, making Asuma grumble something about how she was so secretive.

With that the five poofed away, leaving Konohamaru to edit his article for the paper, but not before Naruto did an interrogation of his own.

"Nee, nee, Konohamaru, did you get it? What did she say? Tell me everything!"

The boy slowly smiled in a mocking way, making Naruto almost too hopeful for words or actions .

"She said…that you should read the article for yourself when it comes out."

"WHAT?! KONOHAMARU!"

By the time the second round of the Chuunin exams started everyone knew who both Naruto and Konohamaru were, and many more grew curious of the infamous Miyako Maki.

G /M

Jeez this was long! I patiently await your reviews my precious viewers, and I hoped you enjoyed the chapter.

The next chapter is called: Jeopardy.

Jeopardy will be the Third round of the preliminaries, which is the chapter that will also feature a sneak preview of _Monster_.

Well, till next time!

Soaring, Flying, Acronym.


	10. Jeopardy

A/N: Yay, reviews!

Brave Little Lion: Alright, since you asked so nicely.

Flatwaffles29: I know that it's not your birthday, but happy early birthday anyway, perhaps I'll be able to finish another by the time your birthday rolls around. Maybe. Don't count on it though.

Guest: I know, isn't she? Unfortunately I have only been gifted with the talent of writing, so I cannot draw or sketch, or do anything artistic or even aesthetically pleasing. But if you can, or you know anyone that can, than I say go for it! It would make me a very happy author if you drew Miyako for me. ;D

Yeah, so you guys should be really happy right now, because this is my second update this week and in less than three days to boot. So I expect much love, plus this chapter is really long. Like as I'm typing right now, my word counter is reading 11,967, and this little ramble barely has anything to do with that. The sneak preview down at the bottom has almost nothing to do with that either. And so this story is a good eleven thousand and nine hundred something odd words. You're welcome.

The Disclaimer is missing again, I don't think he likes his job, and so Miyako will just have to do it.

Miyako: What? Why me? Oh fine. SFA doesn't own Naruto, in fact, it's a little silly that you would even continue to think so! There, happy?

Indeed. Let's get on with it then.

Jeopardy

Nervous, anxious, overall _concern_, these were the emotions poor Miyako Maki was gifted with as she stood staring out at the teams gathered in front of the Jounin.

She was even beginning to wish that Lion would come back and comfort her with a long, and soothing stare.

There was no need for him now though, the Hokage was present, and even more Jounin were around to stop whatever mischief she might wish to cause, and so the Hokage hadn't seen any need for her friend to be around anymore.

It made her kind of sad.

Kakashi was starting to look at her curiously, although she showed no outward signs of distress and there were, like, four people in-between she and him, him being all the way at the other end of the raised platform they stood on and she being at the other in between Baki-sensei and this really creepy Sound sensei who she did not wish to know the name of.

That's what was making her nervous actually, this Sound sensei was radiating menace and death like it was a cologne or something, and if _he_ was that dangerous than she didn't want to even know what his _students_ were like.

It didn't really help that he kept shooting her these sidelong glances like he was studying her or something, his curiosity clearly evident in muted green-gold eyes.

She was also nervous about the Third exam in general, but she knew it was largely all in her head. She had no doubt that all three of the Sand Genin would pass, probably without breaking a sweat, as long as they didn't underestimate their enemy.

After all, there were a lot of unknowns present in these upcoming matches, because even with the information collected of their enemies prior to the examination; they still had not seen _everything_ that their potential match ups had. It would be an exciting first round with those stakes.

She tried in vain to ignore the creepy Sound guy and listen to the Hokage's explanation of the Chuunin exams, but found that it was only going to bore her to death, and so busied herself with reciting The Genie Codes in her head until he finished, but was sidetracked by Gaara's sudden talkative mood.

"I don't care, just explain the rules of this life or death match."

She glared in a scolding fashion in his general direction, but he was either blissfully unaware of her presence or ignoring her, the latter probably being the closest as she could sense that he was still irked with her about the other night.

Anyway, he got the last proctor to explain the rules, his name was Hayate, and from what Miyako could tell he was ill, which was ironic, since he was currently trying to cut down on the examinees even more by asking if any of them were feeling ill and would like to drop out.

Some silver haired guy quit, who she quickly learned was named Kabuto Yakushi from eavesdropping on Anko; she also learned that he was the guy that got attacked the first day of the exams by the Sound ninja by eavesdropping on Naruto's persistent hushed conversation with him.

She barely heard Anko comment that he had failed six previous exams, as she was too intent on some other hushed conversation going on in the Genin section between Team 7.

Too many things going on at once, Kabuto, suspicion, something about an Orochimaru person, Sasuke, Kakashi commenting that Sasuke was stubborn and would not sit out the third exam, which was totally true, and then they were all dismissed to go up to the stands so that Sasuke and some Leaf village ninja by the name of Yoroi could fight.

She vaguely wondered where all these strange Leaf ninja were appearing from and why she hadn't seen them at Konoha International, but Kakashi never really gave her too much time to think, on anything.

"Miyako." He caught her by the arm, and she looked up at him curiously, ignoring the pointed looks Baki was sending them.

"I might need you to help me stop Sasuke's match." It was clearly a request, although it wasn't said as one.

Her curious frustration must've shown, because he gave her a one arched smile. "Maa, I'll explain later, if you agree to help me."

She side glanced at Baki, who was impatiently waiting for her. "Yeah. But you better explain even if I don't end up helping you." She grumbled, pulling her arm from his grasp gently so she could go placate Baki, the priss.

"What was that?" Said man hissed when she reached his side, making her give an eye roll.

"Kakashi was just asking me for a favor, don't get your panties in a bunch." The girl scoffed.

"What kind of favor?"

She decided to act her age for once, grinning childishly under her mask as she answered: "The sexual kind." Nonchalantly, of course.

"I was kidding." She sighed as he sent her a scandalous look.

"He just wanted my help in stopping Sasuke's match, in case he couldn't convince him himself."

The conversation ended there, as they didn't find it necessary to exchange more words, a good thing, because if they had they probably would've ended up just pissing each other off.

"What's going on down there?" Temari grumbled impatiently to her two superiors as they appeared, looking expectantly at Miyako.

Miyako settled herself on the bar of the platform before turning to look at Temari with a shrug. "I don't know much more than you."

"Well then tell me what you do know." She insisted.

"Something's wrong with Uchiha, plain and simple."

Temari seemed satisfied with the answer and eyed Kakashi and Sasuke as they spoke in hushed voices.

"Well, we'll just see if the Uchiha can handle his match then, won't we?" Kankuro seemed eager, if not a little smug, to watch Sasuke fail, like he was sure of the outcome.

Gaara too was anxious, his folded arm stance may have said "uncaring" but Miyako could tell that he was twitching just under the surface with anticipation and a keen eye to assess Sasuke's skills; he wanted to make absolutely sure that Sasuke was still a match worthy of him.

The match started, everyone's eyes fixated on the Uchiha and his odd opponent Yoroi. It didn't take long for Yoroi to look as if he would win, his hand harshly gripping the young Uchiha's head as he leeched chakra out of him.

Miyako strained her knuckles on the bar, seemingly holding her body back from rushing to Sasuke's aid by sheer will alone, as he certainly looked done for at that moment.

"Don't you dare." The gruff voice hissed from behind her, and she didn't have to look back to know that Gaara was glaring in vicious warning at the back of her head.

So she didn't, but not out of fear, but because she had to put a little faith in Sasuke, and because Kakashi still had a look of calm in his lone eye. 'Not yet,' it seemed to say 'don't count him out yet.'

So she waited, and was glad.

Sasuke came back, much to the shock of everyone, and not just that he came back, but _how _ he came back.

Miyako herself wasn't really sure what had changed either, one moment he looked like a goner getting the chakra sucked out of him and the next he was disappearing like a boss and kicking people up straight in the face and performing some serious Taijutsu.

'Since when did Sasuke become so proficient in Taijutsu? I mean, I know he hardly used it in our battle because I wouldn't really _let_ him, but could he really have been brushing up so well in the last month?'

She looked over at Kakashi and Gai, who looked just as shocked as she was to see him using such complicated Taijutsu moves, and so she seriously doubted the kid had been practicing _that_ much.

'What could've changed?'

Regardless of how it happened though, it was making Gaara excited, she could feel him trembling in unbridled blood lust and barely contained satisfaction at seeing his prime target only justify his insane obsession with defeating him and having his sand consume him whole.

She faintly heard Yoroi mutter something about a shadow dance and Sasuke fire back something trash talker-ish, before she got caught up in his sudden stiff posture midair.

He coughed blood then, making Miyako freeze and look over to Gaara, who had frozen as well and was looking, well, _thirsty._

There seemed to be a pause for a few seconds as Miyako flitted her gaze from Sasuke, who seemed to be writhing in midair, to Kakashi, who seemed to be staring intently in acute fear as Sasuke started writhing in midair, to Gaara, who was still looking at Sasuke as if he had suddenly trumped gizzards as his new favorite food.

She was torn between yanking Sasuke, who looked to be an immense pain anyway, out from midair whether Kakashi and his indecisive self joined or not, and staying right where she was and verbally slapping Gaara until he got over himself.

Luckily she didn't have to do either, as Sasuke somehow managed to finish his move, his fancy "Lion combo" move, which she figured would make Lion very happy if he'd heard about it. Heck, she would be happy if someone named a move after her to!

But wait, why did every single Jounin look as though Sasuke had just proclaimed himself to be Santa Clause? What was so great about Sasuke's performance? It was actually a little boring for her tastes, she expected more out of Uchiha obviously, but he had just performed some Taijutsu combo, nothing too spectacular or noteworthy in either she or Gaara's mind. So what was it? And why was she out of the loop? Miyako hated being out of the loop, it was frustrating, her whole entire life had been basically spent in the shadows, not really enjoying any of the benefits life had to offer in its future, and she was constantly on the outside looking in, a participant while not actually participating.

Miyako's thoughts were cut off as Hayate-sensei announced Sasuke the winner, while coughing as he did so.

She faintly heard Naruto give a cheer as Kakashi made eye contact with her, signaling that he wanted her to come down with him while he spoke to Sasuke about whatever in the hell was wrong with him.

"Finally." She mumbled under her breath hopping down from the ledge and landing next to the huffing boy just as Kakashi propped his knee up to support Sasuke from fainting.

"You did okay." Kakashi murmured to his student, his nose inside that orange book from before once again.

Miyako looked expectantly at Kakashi while Naruto jeered at Sasuke, and the sensei motioned Miyako forward with a crook of his finger, her ear so close to his masked face that she could feel the light breaths coming from beneath the fabric.

"I'm only telling you this because I think you can help me."

She nodded imperceptibly and he continued.

"Sasuke was bitten by a man named Orochimaru in the forest and received a curse mark on his neck, it reacts when he is low on chakra, granting him power at the cost his true personality." And then his breaths were gone from her and she kept her expression completely neutral.

He shut his book as the medics arrived, his eye drooped in thought as he looked at Miyako, who studied the various reactions around her intently.

She could faintly sense Gaara's trembling increase in excitement, but she blocked his thoughts from her head so she wouldn't be distracted; she could also faintly feel that creepy sensei's eyes on them as well, though more on Sasuke than her or Kakashi. It was disconcerting to say the least, and so she decided that she would pay attention to the reactions in front of her instead.

Sasuke was refusing to go somewhere with Kakashi, she didn't know where, she hadn't been paying too much attention, and he argued that he would like to see the other matches of people moving on.

Kakashi vehemently refused, basically telling Sasuke that he was selfish and that the curse mark could do something irreversible if left as is.

Sasuke grumbled and pouted in that subtle way Uchihas used when things didn't go there way, and so Miyako nudged him even further along.

"You'd better listen to him Sasuke, or would you like me to kick your ass into submission?" She teased, her eyes twinkling in mirth as Sasuke glared balefully at her.

"It would be much easier now, your practically putty." She added for good measure, faking the boy out, who flinched lightly before glaring at her full force again as she laughed lightly.

"Come." Kakashi hid his mirth well, nudging the boy with his knee, but his eyes spoke volumes to Miyako.

Of course he was amused at her antics, but was that also…gratefulness? He was actually glad to have her here, helping him with Sasuke? Why was that? And there was this sort of brotherly warmth that he radiated to her, like he…cared. It sort of made her uncomfortable. Sure they could be _friends_ but did he really think of her as a little sister? Or was she reading him wrong? God she hoped she was; she didn't know what she would do with herself if it turned out that he actually cared about her to some degree.

"Arigato, Miyako-chan." Kakashi cheered to her as the two walked off and she waved calmly back, though her thoughts were a wreck, her eyes giving a double u smile so that she wouldn't show all the confusion and guilt that she was feeling.

She hopped back up to the stands next to the Sand siblings, her mind spinning as she settled herself next to Gaara and the team's expectant stares on her only adding to the pressure of her mind.

"What?" She finally grumbled when they wouldn't stop staring.

"What did Kakashi tell you?" Baki demanded, straight to the point as always.

She would've gladly told the rest what Kakashi had told her, but if the man really…_cared_ for her like she suspected he did, she couldn't just betray his trust and give away such a crippling secret; Sand would surely use it to their advantage, especially Gaara.

So for once in her life…she lied to Gaara.

"Nothing terribly important, just something about a grass ninja totally draining Sasuke in the Forest of Death is all." She half lied, almost deflating in relief when Baki and the others questioned her no more, though Gaara did look as if he didn't totally believe her.

Although he rarely ever did totally believe her when she was telling the complete truth, so it wasn't really a big deal.

The next match was between Aburame Shino and some crippled Sound ninja guy named Zaku, which made her want to cackle, as he probably deserved his punishment.

She had discovered since the Forest of Death that she really liked Sound ninja a lot _less _than Rain and Mist ninja, which was saying something, 'cause those guys were hateful and thus she hated them…like a _lot_.

She didn't really pay much attention to that one, because she already predicted Shino would win, just because of his mysterious demeanor and unknown abilities. Zaku underestimated him, and as a result got his ass handed to him in a very cruel and unusual way.

"Damn, that bug kid is scary. Who'd have thought he was so freakin cruel?" Kankuro wondered aloud, hanging off the bars in morbid fascination.

Gaara scoffed, unimpressed, probably because he thought bugs, even in that sort of magnitude, were feeble and nothing against his undefeatable sand. No wait, never mind, that _is_ what he thought, all the while laughing maliciously at Zaku's pain and inability to ever use his arms again, at least in the ninja sense of the word.

Miyako dismissed Zaku's pain as well, that's just how much she disliked him, but on the inside she still wondered to herself: 'Shino, so quiet and so mysterious, I would have never pinned you for the harsh guy. Not that I ever doubted your strength, but I truly never knew the magnitude of your strength or your emotions. You really are cold.'

She noticed Kakashi's arrival almost immediately, as she was becoming more in tune with the man's chakra than even Lion's, and that was saying something, because she knew Lion's chakra very well. She didn't really get to listen to their conversation, as Gaara's thoughts were plaguing her once again, something about wanting to devour the souls of every individual in the room or something of that nature; she wasn't really paying attention to that either, as she quickly erased any of Gaara's more violent tendencies from her mind, he could do no wrong, in her eyes anyway.

The next match was Kankuro verses that Kabuto guys other teammate, Misuki?, she really didn't pay attention to his name, for she already knew the outcome of this battle too. Kankuro and the others were given strict instructions that they were not to lose under any circumstance.

She knew that Kankuro would at least pull out a good effort, possibly his best if this…Misuni?, guy was anything to mess with.

"Wish me luck." He teased with a smirk, and Gaara glared in response while Baki and Temari sighed exasperatedly.

"Good luck." Miyako granted, making him smirk only that much wider as he made his way down to the arena.

Gaara was calling both she and Kankuro and idiot, him for smirking and just annoying Gaara in general, and Miyako for actually feeding his antics and thus further annoying him.

'He did say wish though, it's really hard to _not_ give someone what they want when they say that word.'

She frowned, "Well, except maybe myself, but that's not really how being a genie works, now does it?'

The battle started immediately, with the Mis-something guy going for Kankuro instantly, and when Kankuro blocked, he somehow managed to twist himself all around the man in a paralyzing choke hold.

She would've been worried, had she not known that he was hiding safely within the confines of Karasu's bandages.

Then "Kankuro's" neck broke and his head fell limply down, the man chuckling that he got carried away and broke it, while Gaara mumbled something about stupidity…but she just ignored that to and pretended that he had said something much more pleasant and worried, like: "No! Kankuro!" or something of that nature.

Then Kankuro's face started falling off in wooden chips, which alarmed a lot of people, and his head spun around, which freaked everyone out but the Sand ninja and Miyako to a degree that almost had them hyperventilating.

Then Karasu started strangling…Misumi! And Kankuro made some flashy show of uncovering himself from the bindings and telling everyone, quite obviously, that he was a puppeteer what with his chakra strings and whatnot.

'Hmm, perhaps I accidentally made him that way? No, Kankuro was always a show-off, even before I got here. That actually makes me feel a lot better about myself.'

Anyway, the match was called in his favor, and then it was a match between…Sakura and Ino?!

"Well, well." Miyako mumbled, looking at the screen. "This should certainly be interesting."

Kankuro snorted, having settled back in his spot between Temari and Baki, "I doubt it's the kind of interesting I want to see."

Miyako rolled her eyes, thus catching eyes with Kakashi in her revolution and pausing on him as he eye arched smiled at her, and he then made a show of not-so-discreetly motioning her over.

She giggled and hoisted herself off of the bars, shooting Baki a glance before she departed, knowing he had certainly seen Kakashi's show.

He only gave her a glare and a reluctant sigh before she transported herself next to Kakashi, giving him an expectant look for his antics.

"Maa, you looked bored." He explained, making her eyebrow tick in annoyance.

"Miyako-chan!" Naruto cheered, almost tackling her into the floor; luckily she has such good balance.

"Naruto-kun." She patted his hair.

"Miyako?" Sakura sounded bewildered at her presence, but she didn't bother to explain herself and simply waved.

She then turned back to Kakashi, who was still waiting for a witty comeback.

"My job's not always the most thrilling." She allowed, before a sudden thought occurred to her, and she turned to look at the unusually quiet Gai and his mini-me Lee.

"Oi, Gai-sensei, what was so spectacular about Sasuke's Taijutsu performance that had you all looking so stunned?"

He turned to her, both he and Lee suddenly gaining speech and rekindling the "flames of youth" in their eyes at her presence.

" Ah, Youthful Miyako-Chan! It Is Nice To See You Again!"

Miyako's eyes actually widened at the lack of boisterous yelling, so much that she actually took the time to squint at Gai, making sure he wasn't some sort of illusion or enemy ninja pretending to be Gai.

After about a whole minute of these antics, Kakashi piped up: "Uh, Miyako-chan, what are you doing?"

"What's wrong with you?" Miyako asked pointedly to Gai instead.

"I Am Very Much Youthful, Miyako-Chan! Are You Alright?" Gai assured, but it wasn't one of his usual shiny –teethed and thumbs-up assurances, it was just a weary smile, and that freaked Miyako out even more.

"…Alright, I'm going to pretend your shouting then, like you would _normally_ be doing and just repeat my question with my eyebrows raised like this, like _I _would normally do." She murmured back sarcastically, doing just as she said.

Gai-sensei sighed, a terribly sad and serious sigh that managed to freak Miyako out even further than she already was.

"Sasuke copied the Taijutsu moves Lee used in their little tiff before the Chuunin exams with the Sharingan, even though it takes years of training to perform those kinds of feats." Kakashi explained before Miyako could continue to accuse Gai of being some sort of imposter or illusion.

"Oh? Has the Sharingan never been used for those purposes?" Miyako was trying to school her features from hyperventilating at the mere mention of the Sharingan.

"No, not really, Sasuke is really showing promise with his Sharingan, he may be one of the greatest users of it one day, besides Madara."

The mention of Sasuke someday being able to have a mastery of the Sharingan did not make her feel better, it actually made her feel _worse_.

Kakashi must've noticed the slight tension in her shoulders and connected it to the horrid subject of her unwavering fear of the Sharingan.

She expected him to narrow his eyes in suspicion, to continue to pry further into her seemingly "innocent" fear of the doujutsu, to perhaps even accuse her of being a liar.

He didn't do any of that; he didn't do any of that and what he did instead only managed to send Miyako into further spiraling confusion.

His hands came to rest softly on her head, at first which made her relax considerably, as her hair was a sensitive part of her body and could set her off or calm her instantly if the person knew what they were doing.

Kakashi did, he knew that his soothing ruffling of her hair was calming her, she could feel the amusement and triumph radiate off him in waves, but at just the thought that Kakashi _knew_ and _cared_ enough to try had her stiffening immediately again.

She played it off as annoyance, batting his hand away to add to the act and glaring playfully. He chuckled, also playing along, and she almost sighed; turning to Naruto to help him cheer on Sakura in her upcoming fight, as they still hadn't started _yet._

She could feel many pairs of eyes on her, especially Kakashi's, filled with understanding and acceptance of her little problem of the Sharingan.

She could also feel the Sand Team's collective glare in her direction, Baki's and Temari's of accusation, Kankuro's of jealousy, and Gaara's of impatience.

Kakashi thought he understood, they all thought they did, but they really had no idea who she was. The Sand Team thought she was suspicious; they all thought she was, but they had no idea how much she would put on the line for the ones she cherished.

Amid her cheering she caught Gaara's eye, who was glaring impassively at her, waiting for her to stop what he presumed was a façade and come back to the side that she claimed to belong on.

And she did, she belonged on Gaara's side, but not this Gaara's side, _her _Gaara's side, the one who used to laugh with her, talk with her, love life with her. She needed _her_ Gaara back, but her plans could only get her so far before hitting a wall, and now they had.

She couldn't do this alone, she needed help, maybe not _conscious_ help, but help nonetheless.

She needed an overwhelming influence, someone who would knock some sense into Gaara, someone who could prove he wasn't as _invincible_ as he tried to claim to be.

As Sakura and Ino raged in hand-to-hand combat her mind began to spin with options about how she could go about taking the first step in this radical plan of hers. _What_ could she do to begin to tear down those walls Gaara had built up so heavily?

She briefly looked to Naruto as he started to yell to Sakura about not losing to Ino, barely paying attention to the battle at all, considering Sakura and Ino were almost perfectly matched in strength and skill.

She reassessed the scene, figuring she should probably at least pretend to pay attention should someone ask what was happening.

Sakura was standing, her hand halfway raised in the air, looking exasperatedly at Naruto. Ino, she noticed, was sitting limp on the floor, her hair splayed in all around the field in-between she and Sakura.

Wait, why wasn't the match over already? Ino clearly looked knocked out, so why was Hayate looking expectantly at Sakura as if she had something important and pivotal to say that would turn the course of the match?

She turned her head to look curiously at Kakashi, who immediately deciphered her look and chuckled.

"You weren't paying attention." He jested, eye arching into a u.

"Just tell me what's going on!" She demanded as he went to ruffle her hair.

"Ino is a Yamanaka, and the Yamanaka's use a technique called Mind Transfer Jutsu, which puts their subconscious into another's subconscious. The only drawback is that it travels in a straight line and moves slowly, and so Ino weaved a string out of her hair with her chakra, forcing Sakura to stay still while she performed the jutsu."

"And so now Ino is in Sakura's mind." Miyako finished, brow furrowing at the thought of such a jutsu.

Just when she had finished assessing the situation, Sakura suddenly gripped her head in a very Gaara-like position, something that instantly had Miyako freezing out of reflex.

Kakashi's fingers were still semi-buried in her hair, and his grip tightened minutely in a relaxing gesture to which she responded to it, despite herself.

She only relaxed completely when Sakura suddenly weaved her fingers together, chakra visibly flowing from her body and back into Ino's.

"She…forced Ino out of her head?"

"YEAH! GO SAKURA-CHAN!"

"YES! THE LOTUS PREVAILS!"

Amongst other things were cheered from their side by two obnoxious love struck males.

"Hai." Kakashi answered calmly, and Miyako swiveled her head to look up at him curiously.

"That can be done?"

"I'm guessing Ino's weakened state from the Forest had something to do with it, but I wouldn't put it past Sakura's indomitable will to be able to push Ino out."

Miyako looked back to the scene, Kakashi's fingers still weaved in her curly locks as she watched on, the wheels in her head turning rapidly.

They ended up knocking each other out with a powerful punch to the face, neither being able to pick themselves up from the force, and were both announced disqualified.

Naruto booed as the two girls were brought up by their respective Jounin senseis, Kakashi giving a fond u arch smile to Naruto as he fretted slightly over Sakura.

Miyako observed the behavior, gears still thinking up a strategy to weaken Gaara's defenses, when suddenly something clicked to her.

Naruto was helping his teammates win matches.

No one else probably noticed, nor vocally cared that Naruto was shouting obnoxiously during both Sasuke and Sakura's match, but his words had had a significant impact on the outcome of both of those matches.

From her standpoint, having tuned in in the middle of the match with little to no knowledge of the Mind Transfer Jutsu, it had looked like Ino was a shoo-in to win, after all her strategy had been ingenious, the Mind Transfer Jutsu had rarely, if ever, been conquered, and she had been right in the middle of forfeiting when Naruto had ruined it all.

It wasn't really all that prominent in Sasuke's match, as Sasuke would _never_ admit getting strength from Naruto's words, but Miyako was sure the insult Naruto had thrown to the Uchiha's name had gotten under Sasuke's skin, and thus had pushed him to win and driven him to think creatively.

That was what she needed, what she needed was more _words_, but not from her, from _Naruto_, because if anyone could relate and understand Gaara's pain, as well as word it in a poetically eloquent way, it was Naruto. Gaara didn't understand that she knew him from the past, and she certainly wasn't going to bring it up to him anytime soon, but Gaara could understand that Naruto had been just as alone as he was, Naruto had been labeled a monster, just as he was, and Naruto was hated, just as he was.

It was a sad and depressing thought, how could that little ball of sunshine be hated? He was adorable, loud, obnoxious, and a little bit of a prankster, but adorable nonetheless.

It was nice to think that he now had friends, and was steadily gaining more, and that Gaara would just be one of the many added to that list, if she played her cards right.

She could have them fight in the preliminaries, but-

She winced at just the thought of it, she certainly couldn't pin her precious Gaara and her adorable and almost equally precious Naruto-kun against each other, her merciless but misunderstood Gaara-chan would tear her precious little sunshine into pieces, and she didn't think she'd be able to hold herself back from intervening.

No, it had to be someone else to fight him in this preliminary round, she needed someone just as headstrong and determined as the blonde, someone with just as much heart but a little more skill than her Naruto-kun.

But who? Who?

"Erm, Miyako-chan, look!" Kakashi murmured, tapping her on the shoulder.

She glanced up from staring off into space as she often did when she was lost in her thoughts, observing that the board read: Tenten verses Temari.

"Oh! I've got to go over there!"

She made hasty goodbyes, as she could feel Baki's steadily rising anger and Gaara's steadily growing irritation, not just with her, though she was surprised to find that she was a large part of it, but of not having his turn as well.

She appeared back on the bars, shooting an apologetic smile at Baki and Gaara, seeing as Kankuro could care less what she did.

Baki mumbled something about her staying put and Gaara just steadily glared at the opposite side of the stands, as if he blamed her Konoha friends for his overall annoyance.

Miyako watched the match, sighing as Temari taunted the poor brunette weapon mistress.

"This is going to be over so quickly it'll almost be unfair." Kankuro snickered from his spot.

"It is unfair, Tenten masters in weapons, which is completely useless against Temari, but Temari is being pointlessly cruel by rubbing that fact in her face." Miyako sighed heavily again, bracing herself with her hands as she leaned slightly back to get a better view.

Neji and Gaara were glaring at each other now, while Lee paid no attention to the mounting tension and instead cheered on his teammate loudly, along with a much more normal Gai-sensei.

Tenten fired off some shuriken, which Temari easily deflected, making Tenten believed she had missed.

"I have some sort of feeling that Tenten doesn't miss." Miyako mused to Kankuro, who snorted.

"She does now."

"This is pointless." Gaara felt necessary to drone, and she figured he was talking about Temari playing with Tenten, and he was, and so she agreed fully with a grunt.

Tenten then sent a small barrage of weapons her way, which she manipulated the wind to make her miss again, and then she started explaining the stars on her fan.

"Ugh, here we go." Miyako groaned, face-palming in annoyance.

Gaara felt the same, and for once there emotions completely melded with one another, though she was much more vocal with hers.

Then Tenten sent a massive barrage of weapons at Temari, _twice_ and of course Temari just whipped them away both times with her fan as if they were paper in a windstorm.

Then she did that disappearing trick with her fan that made Miyako think that somehow all the Sabaku siblings were show offs and it was their fault she was beginning to be like one, and then reappeared riding on it before using Kamataichi, her whirlwind attack, to trap Tenten into a chakra embedded windstorm that didn't end until Temari grew tired of playing with her.

She caught the falling girl on her fan, sneering at her as she coughed up blood and remarking , "boring, very boring," and tossing her away like filth that wasn't even fit to be beneath her shoe when she was announced the winner of the match.

Luckily Lee caught the unconscious Tenten in the nick of time.

He started to berate her, which Miyako would've liked to do as well, but figured she should let Lee defend his teammates honor before she stepped in and did her part.

Temari took it too far when she called Tenten a piece of trash though, and she didn't blame Lee when he ran to attack at her with one of his Konoha Whirlwinds, but she did however have a pretense to keep up, and seeing as how the match was over and Lee was clearly never Temari's opponent, she had to teach him to cool himself off.

She rapidly formed hand signs as he turned, landing lightly on top of Temari's fan just as she blocked the kick, her palms engulfed in a purple crackling energy similar to lightning, though hers was just bright and let off a few sparks here and there.

His eyes widened just as Temari's did, in fact she was sure everyone was pleasantly surprised at her use of jutsu, probably not pinning her as a lightning user. Lee quickly backed away when she sent him a glare, though he recovered quickly and continued to glare at Temari.

"Psh, you didn't have to do that!" The wind mistress barked as Miyako dismounted her fan, her palms still crackling with "lightning" energy though at a much lower frequency than she had been using before.

"The boy's just stupid, I could've taken care of him, just like I can take care of myself."

Miyako redirected her glare from Lee to Temari, making it much sharper and Gaara-like to get her point across.

She ignored Lee's protests in the background and Gai-sensei's reprimands as she squared off against the "older" girl.

"I never doubted you could take care of yourself, I just wish you would take care of other's feelings for a change." Miyako hissed.

Temari tsked and turned away, biting her tongue Miyako supposed, though she also guessed that the girl was angry and embarrassed at being reprimanded by someone she considered much younger than her and in front of an audience no less.

Before she could shoot some choice words at Miyako though, Gaara's voice rang out from the stands.

"Temari, come back here, you're disgracing us and burdening Miyako." Gaara droned. "You won, stop dealing with that ugly guy who's obviously with his guardian."

Miyako was surprised and a little bit flattered that he considered her feelings, but sighed heavily at the mention of Lee being ugly. The Sand Siblings needed some serious emotional classes, as they were all proving to be major assholes when it came to other people's feelings.

Gai made a passionate spiel about Lee's strength, one that had the intense staring contest Gaara and Lee were already having even more intense, until they both left the area for the next matches.

She followed Temari up back to the stands, making sure to stand at least three feet away so she wouldn't give in to her sudden irrational urge to pull Temari's ear and scold her like a mother.

Her mind was whirling with the thought of Lee's passionate display of what Gai would probably call "youthful friendship", and in every scenario she'd came up with in her head Lee was putting those passionate youthful displays to good use on breaking down the sand shell around Gaara's otherwise unbeating heart.

She settled herself back on the bars again just as Shikamaru's name came up, versus some chick named Kin.

"More Sound ninja." She observed, leaning back again as the lazy ninja came up to fight with the long haired girl.

Ino was being obnoxiously loud from the other side of the stadium, and it was ticking Gaara off, as he wanted to just get past these other matches and closer to his, his blood lust was not settling but rather escalating with each passing minute and he wasn't sure if he could hold it in much longer.

Miyako didn't pay attention to the match all that much, her mind intent on thinking up the pros and cons to having Lee fight Gaara in the preliminaries. Besides, she already knew Shikamaru was going to beat Kin, it may not be in a flashy and overstated way, but he'd win nonetheless.

'On the one hand Gaara could possibly kill Lee, that is if Gai doesn't stop him first, which I'm sure he will, but still. On the other hand, I feel that Lee could probably shock Gaara so badly with his personality that he'd hardly be able to comprehend it, and thus start to think about things he's forced out of his mind for a very long time.' But to do this Lee would have to be such a great Taijutsu user that he could maneuver through Gaara's sand and _actually hit him_; that in itself would be quite a feat, and she wasn't a hundred percent sure he could do it. Sure, she knew that he was by far the best Taijutsu user in this room, but was it enough to get past Gaara? And if it did, would it be enough?

Then though she couldn't help but think of what it would be like if it he _did_, Gaara would be so flabbergasted, she much in shock that it would set his mind into a frenzy.

No, she didn't think that Lee would defeat Gaara, in fact she doubted anyone in this room besides maybe her, the Hokage and possibly Kakashi if he was as good as she thought he was, could defeat Gaara.

But that wasn't what the plan was about, it wasn't about beating Gaara into submission, into rediscovering himself, because that approach just didn't _work_ with Gaara, in fact it had just the opposite effect, this tactic was about defeating Gaara with words, which she knew was the only thing that would reach him now. And the only person that could reach him now was Uzumaki Naruto, just not quite yet…

She came out of her thoughts when she heard Naruto's obnoxious mouth once again, exclaiming something about it being his turn.

She looked up at the screen and indeed saw that it was in fact _his_ turn, against Kiba of all people…

She decided to be obnoxious and let out a:

"GO NARUTO! KICK HIS BUTT!" along with Sakura. Kakashi gave her a u arch smile from across the room as Naruto marched down to take his spot.

"What are you cheering so loudly for? You didn't cheer so loudly for me!" Kankuro whine from his spot, making Miyako roll her eyes at his obvious jealousy.

"I did cheer for you before you left, Kankuro. Don't you know Naruto needs extra encouragement? He's a very sensitive boy, you know?" She defended herself, making the rest of the team glare at her for her obvious favoritism.

"I don't care about him though, and neither should you!" Kankuro grumbled.

"He's my friend, so what?" Miyako knew what she was doing, she was basically provoking any of the siblings to voice their real feelings about their strained relationship with their guard, and she wanted them to, and now she was just waiting for them to take the bait so she could give them a piece of her mind.

"You shouldn't be making friends with stupid Konoha ninja." Temari hissed.

"I find that they are much kinder and overall friendlier to be around, is that so wrong?" And yes, there was a silent implication in that statement saying that she thought the Sand siblings were rude and insensitive. She wondered if they got that.

"I really don't think it's a problem either, after all, I don't fix Naruto's favorite foods, do I? Or would you prefer that I treat you the same as I do my Konoha friends and stop cooking…and cleaning and granting your every whim-"

"Stop, stop!" Kankuro pleaded, practically on his knees now and begging in front of the seemingly innocent girl.

Gaara, who had been half listening the whole time, whipped his head around at the mention of Miyako _not cooking_ and immediately hissed at his two _idiot _siblings:

"Apologize, now."

Kankuro hastened to do so, clamping onto her foot in earnest and even promising to never speak of her Konoha friends in such a manner ever again, while Temari looked a little bit reluctant…

"**Temari****.**"

"I'm sorry." She grumbled.

"Apology accepted." Miyako beamed in triumph as the three turned their heads back to the match.

They had missed a little bit of the start with their tiff, but they did see Kiba suddenly throw smoke bombs in Naruto's direction, enveloping him a purple smoke screen.

"Hm, well Miyako, it looks like your cheering will be for nothing anyway." Kankuro mused as he watched the smoke screen intently, all of them hearing the sounds of punches and kicks and not knowing who had the upper hand, but by that statement Miyako was assuming that Kankuro was assuming that Naruto was getting the tar beat out of him.

Anyway, once it stopped, Naruto appeared to be knocked out, much to everyone's dismay, or pleasure, it depended on who you asked.

Kiba was proud of Akamaru to say the least, his arms outstretched to embrace the yipping dog, but instead of jumping into his arms, the small dog latched his teeth onto the boy's hand, shocking everyone.

"Nice!" Miyako praised aloud, realizing that Naruto had transformed himself into Akamaru to fool Kiba, Temari agreeing that Naruto was very fluent in his technique usage while Kankuro just grumbled that Naruto would be so lucky.

Gaara, as usual, could care less.

Naruto exclaimed something about Kiba tasting like dog as he and his clone held the small white dog hostage triumphantly, this made Miyako burst into uproarious laughter, laughter so hard and so loud that she almost fell off her perch from the intensity.

The others looked at her as if she was insane, but she really didn't mind them or their accusatory stares as she came down from her giggling to continue to watch the match.

Kiba gave Akamaru some sort of pill, a pill that turned him red and apparently really strong and then Akamaru turned into Kiba and then they threw more smoke bombs and then broke out some move called Gatsuuga that made them look like two spinning grey turbines and cut through the purple smokescreen, tirelessly searching for their opponent.

When the turbines stopped spinning and the duo ran to assess the damage, the smoke cleared to reveal not two, but three Kibas.

"Whooo!" Miyako cheered, along with Sakura, for the strategy was brilliant in her book, but she was unsure if it would work, but she soon got her answer.

Kiba punched Naruto, she was almost sure of it, because she had always had a suspicion that that kid was more dog than human and he was just further proving it at this moment.

So what a surprise it was to find that Kiba had punched "Akamaru" instead.

He, along with everyone else, was shocked to say the least, but Miyako knew that the boy had transformed into the dog just to play tricks with Kiba's mind and make him lose faith in his senses. It was a brilliant strategy, one she was actually not surprised to see him come up with, after all he was the number one prankster of Konoha.

So then Kiba whirled around and punched the other Kiba, a resounding poof alerting him that this time he had indeed punched his dog, much to his horror.

The other "Akamaru" stood up, grinning as it transformed back into Naruto, his obvious success and joy radiating off of him in waves at having taken out what he thought was a key ingredient to Kiba's victory.

But then Kiba got serious, as Miyako predicted he would be at having his precious dog beaten to such a degree and the humiliation at losing something so precious to _Naruto_, with whom he thought was much lower in skill than he was.

It seemed several times that Kiba had finally managed to beat Naruto, the boy would be down, Kiba would taunt him endlessly, most people would've given up and taken the words to heart, but Naruto rose, Naruto fought, and Naruto _conquered_.

Miyako flinched each time Kiba managed a hit, and began to grow weary as the battle wore on, Gaara's patience thinning quite quickly with how stubborn the Uzumaki was. In fact the boy was so annoyed that he was internally debating marching down to the arena and knocking Naruto out himself.

Kiba started jumping around, overtaking Naruto in his speed and powerful swipes of his claws, but the boy was shouting promises of his ace move, one that would surely win him this battle.

While Kiba doubted it, Miyako had some strange feeling that Naruto was going to win, and that he indeed wasn't kidding that whatever he did would score him the victory.

And no, it wasn't a show of favoritism.

She was very…surprised though, when instead of a jutsu being launched, he let out a fart, right when Kiba was about to strike him from behind.

He clearly caught a whiff, his face scrunching as his powerful nose took in the foul stench that Naruto had produced, and he immediately clutched his overridden nose almost painfully.

Miyako let out another round of laughter, the Sand team next to her all looking very…confused.

"What?!" Kankuro finally burst out after realizing what the blonde had just done. "Did this kid just attack him with a fart?!"

"I sort of wish he had done that on purpose just so this could be even funnier!" Miyako said in between bursts of giggles.

Gaara rolled his eyes while Temari tried to be much more ladylike and stifle her snorts of laughter.

Miyako stopped laughing just in time to catch Naruto make himself about four clones and then perform a "Lion Combo", although Naruto _swears_ that it was of his own creation, thus why it was called the Uzumaki Combo, and for his finishing move smash Kiba right in his face, blood spurting from his already damaged nose.

"Wow." Miyako breathed, still giggling a little at the sheer hilarity of it all, but also rolling her eyes at his obvious copycat move of Sasuke.

"Alright! Who's next?!" Miyako cheered, pumped after watching her adorable Naruto-chan beat Kiba.

The board answered her, as if it were magical and it obeyed her commands.

"A Hyuga verses a Hyuga, huh?"

She knew very little of both Hyuga's, only that Neji was very skilled but very cold with a superiority complex to match and that Hinata was just plain KAWAII!

Her stutter, her shyness, her _**OBVIOUS**_, crush on Naruto, it was just too much cuteness for the genie to handle, and she just wanted to hug the girl into oblivion and grant her every wish she ever desired.

That in itself was strange, because she'd never possessed a desire for a master before, but she felt like Hinata was one of those people who deserved it. She didn't know why she felt that way, there was just something about her…

The match started, and Miyako couldn't follow _any_ of it, as Jyuuken, the gentle fist, wasn't really something you could follow.

Really, every time she _thought_ Hinata had gotten the upper hand on her cousin, Neji came back and started laying on his poking. It had turned out that Hinata hadn't really landed a single hit on Neji, and that he had completely shut off some flow of chakra in her arms, which therefore rendered her Jyuuken useless against his, as he explained.

Miyako was hard pressed to believe it, considering the fact that she thought the boy was an ass and was just trying to sike Hinata out, but when Hinata got all wide eyed and trembley like that it was hard not to.

By the time the match had been called to Neji, she realized exactly _why_ she liked Hinata so much, it was because, like Naruto, _everyone underestimated her_.

She was actually very strong in Miyako's eyes, to stand up to someone who had been putting you down for something as stupid as the separation of clan houses, which Hinata had nothing to do with, for your whole life, and to keep fighting even after it was clear that you had lost, even at the risk of your own _death_ just to be heard…

Miyako could never do that. In fact she doubted she could ever be so bold.

Her admiration of that strength so similar to Naruto's is probably what drove her to leap from her place in the stands, turn on her "levitation" technique and aim that same "lightning" technique just over his head as he went to attack Hinata in his rage, other Jounins holding him back be damned.

Again people began to react at seeing her react so quickly and violently to a situation, this time that had nothing to do with her, with such a powerful "lightning" attack.

"Maa, Miyako-chan, I didn't pin you for a lightning user." Kakashi commented casually while holding Neji's striking arm.

"You and everyone else." She commented dryly, narrowed glowing eyes still trained on Neji though she was speaking to Kakashi.

"Why are there other Jounin's here? Does the main house get special treatment now?" Gai went to reprimand him for his statement, but Miyako decided to voice her thoughts.

"Maybe it's her _destiny_ to have actual people that care about her." Miyako mocked edgily, gliding down to the floor as things cooled down.

His pearlescent eyes glared into her brighter purple, disdain as well as dismissal evident in them and she met his eyes with just as much dislike.

Kakashi must have felt the mounting tension, so he pulled her away, chatting her up with ease though she still glared balefully into Neji's eyes as they drew further and further from him.

She saw Hinata go down, Neji having obviously harmed her more than she originally presumed, coughing up more blood than she had during the match, which she could feel was making Gaara twitch in anticipation.

Kurenai, Naruto, Sakura and Lee all jumped down to check on their silently bleeding friend, and Miyako watched with unwavering angry eyes as Neji continued to display his infuriating arrogance by picking on Naruto. The boy wanted to attack, and he almost did, but luckily Lee held him back and said _something_ to convince him to stay quiet and deal with it.

Not without making a passionate promise on Hinata's blood to win against Neji should he fight him though, because if he didn't then that just wouldn't be Naruto.

They carted the girl off, Kurenai and Naruto and the rest who actually _cared_ watched, worried for her health, and she drew her eyes to the last three competitors that could face Gaara.

'Chouji won't last two seconds. Dosu won't fulfill my ultimate desires for my precious master, and so Lee is the best and clear choice.'

Her eyes then landed on a trembling Gaara, who was staring off into space as he waited for his turn.

'Gaara, prepare yourself, because I _will _destroy that barrier around your heart. And you'll never see it coming.'

G/M

It was easy to manipulate the board to her favor, after all he was one of the last fights and there were only three options for him left.

No one was the wiser when her eyes lit up just slightly to make absolutely certain that Lee was Gaara's opponent.

She smiled in a little bit of satisfaction when their names came up, though her smile immediately fell when Gaara eagerly transported himself down to the arena, his sand swirling after his jutsu.

She quickly transported herself away to a secluded area, her heart beating rapidly now at the thought of Gaara…_fighting_.

She faintly noticed that she had started to hyperventilate and was conscious enough to check her surroundings as she slid down a nearby wall into a sitting position.

Thankfully no one was there to witness her strange break down, as surely someone would question her actions, and her throat was so badly constricted now with the thoughts of Gaara _fighting_ that she couldn't form or even process a single word.

She laid her head back on the wall, her head starting spin as gruesome images took over her mind and thoughts began to swirl about madly.

Just when she was starting to calm a fraction the battle began, she could sense Gaara's sand barrier being rapidly used to parry kicks and punches.

Her heart rate picked up once more at the thought of Lee penetrating the field. Then her hands began to slicken; her vision spun once more, her body trembled violently as the thoughts plummeted into the deeper ends of the spectrum.

Physical harm, fractures, broken bones, internal damage, paralyzation, _death._

Her fingers itched to help Gaara, to somehow save him from the menace she just _knew_ Lee could be, but hadn't she wanted this?

She had thought it would do Gaara some good, and it _would_, but she hadn't seriously taken into account _herself_ until now.

Gaara fighting Lee…even fighting at _all_ ,went against every single instinct she possessed as a genie, and what was even worse was that she had _made_ it happen. _She _was the one ultimately responsible if something happened to her precious master and the guilt would weigh heavily on her.

By now her body was jumping in place, tremors so violent they had turned her into a vibrating, jerking mess, and the occasionally lunging would only get worse as the battle wore on and grew worse.

She knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself unless she pinned her own self down, and so she conjured up chains to physically chain her to the wall, their faintly glowing purple energy acting as suppressors to her instinct to protect at all costs. It was almost as if she was sealing herself.

She tried to be calm, she really did. She tried to think of something else as she felt Lee race around Gaara, penetrating his sand barrier as if they were paper walls and actually landing a hit on him. She tried to think of something else when Lee managed to land several _consecutive _hits on Gaara and then penetrate his Sand Armor. She tried _desperately_ to think of anything else when Lee used Secondary Lotus on Gaara and made his Sand clone crumble entirely. She was practically _begging _her mind to concentrate on something else when Lee opened his Chakra gates and proceeded to use Primary Lotus on Gaara, knocking him around like a feather during a high wind.

It wasn't really working.

She was just glad that no one appeared around her while the battle raged, as they would surely think she was mentally unstable with her lunging body, repeated head banging and piercing screams of pain, as if she was transferring every ounce of pain Gaara was _supposed _to feel, and instead felt it herself.

It was probably also due in part to the fact that she had hidden herself in a dark hallway, though ninja really weren't very deterrable when they were curious, so that couldn't have helped much, maybe she was just lucky?

Anyway, Gaara repaid Lee's feats by crushing his right arm and leg completely as he was trying to limp away. And instead of making Miyako freak out even more like everyone else in the arena it actually calmed her down considerably.

'So he's still mostly unscathed if he can still use Sand Burial.' That still didn't satisfy her completely though. The battle had been nearly fifteen minutes, and that for some reason was a very long stretch of time physically away from Gaara, well, besides seven years, and so she found herself itching to be back by his side and assess the damage in person for herself.

She unfortunately didn't have an excuse, and was still a little bit crazed looking, her breathing still uneven, her body still trembling lightly, her eyes still shining with pain and guilt, all the things that clearly pointed to a deranged person.

But oh hell no she wasn't about to let Gai anywhere _near_ her precious master.

In a flash she hardly thought she was capable of, she had appeared in front of Gai, who had blocked Gaara's second sand attack aimed for Lee, her chains luckily off and her palms blazing crazy with "lightning" energy, though the crazed look was still in her eye and her breathing was still uncharacteristically heavy.

She heard Gaara murmur from his little sand pond a pained "why", not because he was physically in pain, but because he was emotionally confused, which made her half elated and half guilty.

"Because…he is an important subordinate that I love." Gai stuttered, without the use of all caps, or even capitalizing his first letters, at all.

Both she and Gaara flinched simultaneously at the word love, but their reasons were entirely different.

Gaara was in pain because he did not truly understand the definition of the word, feeling that he had been lied to by love and the ones who claimed that they loved him all his life.

But Miyako…Miyako flinched because she _knew_, she knew what love was, and she knew how painful this must be for Gai, and she knew how painful loving someone could be…

'**No Gaara, please, ****I love you****!' **She desperately tried to keep from clutching her head in a Gaara-like pain stance as she remembered his seeming last words to her.

** 'You're lying!**

** I live only for myself and love only myself, and that includes no room for you.**

** I wish that you were back in that bottle and that you can't come out, ever!'**

"Sumimasen." She whispered when she came to, to find that Gai was embracing a broken and still subconsciously fighting Lee.

Even when he could barely cling to his dreams he still followed them.

She regretfully admitted that she had made the right choice in picking Lee as Gaara sat and stared at the display, his face still showing tiny cracks of confusion and longing beneath the now smoothened surface.

She had made the right decision indeed…but at what cost to another? What would Lee do now that Gaara might've completely crushed his way of life? What could he do?

Most importantly, why did she care? Gaara was the only thing she lived for, the only thing that mattered in her world, so why were thoughts of Lee swirling madly around in her head? Why couldn't she shake this awful feeling of regret for a ninja she barely knew?

She noticed that amidst her thoughts, Naruto had jumped down to tend to his new friend, giving Gaara a passing stare that shook the intensity radars in Miyako to her very core, making her reflexively tense.

Naruto was listening and looking on as Gai was told what would happen to his student, just as Miyako was listening and looking on, a sick, self-loathing part of her wanting her to know just how much damage she had caused to an innocent Shinobi's life with her selfish plans.

She paled when she heard the news, casting Gaara a glance as he stood by the stairs, seeming to listen to. Or was he waiting for her?

"What?" She heard Naruto brokenly whisper next to her as the news sunk into his brain and Miyako tore her gaze from her redheaded master to her blond headed friend.

He found him gazing unseeingly in Gaara's direction at first, as if he knew Gaara was there, but his mind just couldn't pinpoint that Gaara was _actually_ there.

And then his gaze morphed into one of hatred and vengeance, and his lips parted and his mouth formed words that Miyako was intent on listening to.

"You went too far." His voice was shaky, very shaky; she hardly knew this Naruto, and yet she'd known he was capable of this all along.

"How could you do this to him? How could you just destroy his dream like that?!" He was steadily crescendoing, and Miyako found that she knew this Naruto much better than the one before, although she'd never thought she'd become familiar with this intensity.

"All he wanted to do was prove himself, and you took that away from him, you mo-"

In another flash she was in front of Naruto again, but unfortunately not just _in front_ of Naruto, no, she was strangling the boy; pulling him eye level to her as irrational emotions like rage and fury and desperation leaked out of her like a faucet.

"Don't you dare say that word." She hissed when his wide eyes trained on her, shock and for once fear in his cerulean depths as he stared at her.

Before she could rear back a fist and make sure that he _never_ said it again, a warm pressure was on her arm, and instantly she stiffened, knowing exactly who it was.

"Miyako." And then she dropped him unceremoniously to whip around and glare at Kakashi for interrupting, that is until she saw his face.

He wasn't angry. He wasn't furious. He wasn't even slightly enraged.

He just looked really understanding, and sad, but with an underlying tinge of…disappointment?

She froze as she thought of this particular emotion coming from Kakashi, that strange uncomfortable feeling she'd had before when he'd been exploiting her emotions in a completely innocent manner returning.

Why? Why was he disappointed in her? Why wasn't he mad? Why did he even care?!

She smacked his hand away, moving to get away from the two as fast as possible, but Kakashi's soothing hand on the top of her mane froze her again.

"Miyako."

This only managed to confuse her more. Why was he urging her? What was he even urging her to do? **Why did he care?!**

She whipped away from him with a growl, her fists going to press into her temples at the frustration and confusion of it all, almost as if she was trying to hard press it out of her head.

She stumbled away from Kakashi's calls and the Sand Team's eyes of bewilderment and slight worry. She could feel every individual eye resting on her as she tried to get her emotions back under her control, but felt it waning fast.

She couldn't deal with it all, Gaara's love issues, Kakashi's undeserved care and Naruto's lashing out on a very sensitive subject. Especially Naruto's lashing out, it practically had her coming undone at the seams.

It would've been fine if it were anyone else, if anyone else were to call him a monster they may have just gotten a glare or perhaps been totally dismissed as someone who just didn't understand.

But hearing it come from Naruto's mouth made all the difference, because if Naruto said it, that made it true.

Naruto's opinion shouldn't have mattered much to her, after all, whose opinion really mattered to her other than Gaara's?

Naruto understood though, he understood Gaara better than anyone, even her, and if Naruto would willingly call him a monster, even in a moment of heated passion over his friend, it still meant a lot, because Naruto wouldn't _ever_ use that word if he didn't truly mean it.

She had to get out of there, she had to get away, she could already feel herself start to tremble again at the direction of her thoughts, and she was sure she would squeeze her brain out the pace she was rubbing her temples with her fists.

And so she did, she teleported away without so much as a goodbye and landed in her bedroom, kneeling on her bed as she tried to breathe.

Naruto, Naruto had nearly called Gaara a monster. She couldn't let him call Gaara a monster, because if anyone was sensitive to that word it was Naruto. Naruto knew better than anyone else the pain that that word caused, and had to truly harbor anger at someone to use it.

Kakashi, Kakashi was acting strange around her. Kakashi was…disappointed in her, cared about her, _understood_ her, and worried about her. And… she…cared about what he thought? Why? That was the only question that seemed to surface at the thought of him, why?

Gaara, Gaara was confused about love, Gaara didn't know that she _loved_ him, Gaara had no idea of the power he had over her and Gaara hardly even cared about her. Gaara was her world, her master, her _everything_ and she hardly had the nerve in her to tell him so. She _couldn't_ tell him so, not this Gaara, not this…

Naruto's almost words rang inside her head, not this _monster_ of a Gaara.

G /M

Speaking of monsters…

Here's _**Monster**_.

_Monster_

_ It all happened…so fast._

_ One moment we were war heroes, charged with the honor of bringing peace back into our lands, and then-_

_ "From this moment forward, ninja no longer exist. It is too dangerous to continue to live in a world like this, where civilians are in constant fear of those that are meant to protect them!"_

_ "But Daimyo-sama-!" _

_ "Silence! It is done!" _

_ We only had two choices then, stop practicing the ninja art and integrate ourselves into civilian society, with civilian jobs and normal civilian lives, or be exiled to one of the many islands as prisoners where we awaited death, without chakra or any hopes of escaping._

_ Many chose the first path._

_ Others didn't have much of a choice in the matter; the Daimyo forced the Kages of the five nations in jobs close to them. Elite Jounin were forced to take on positions in police forces as well as other menial positions, the Daimyo making sure every one of them had their chakra suppressed to low levels. _

_ Some escaped._

_ Imparticular, the Sabaku Siblings amongst other strong Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, the most dangerous being the Konoha 12, gifted with the members Uzumaki Naruto and the newly reformed Uchiha Sasuke. _

_ All attempts at finding them were futile, and so the rumors started to spread._

"_Run." She repeated, her entire demeanor stiff and serious, borderline emotionless, had it not been for the twinkle of fear in her umber eyes._

_ "What's wrong Haruka-"The snappish man was cut off with a sudden appearance in the reflective surface of the glass, both his and his companion's eyes widening. _

_ "Ka-"Both men were suddenly cut off from speech as the grinning reflection ran them through with twin Katanas, death instantaneous. _

"_Why are we here?" _

"_You're…different now." _

"_I…I'm not even sure if the way you're acting right now is how I always remember. And I feel like I might never really recall; I feel like I might never even figure it out." _

"_Hebi is back." _

"_In Konoha, rumors fly of a 12 gathered beneath the sky in a darkened place where worms will dig, though the radiant beam of the sun still lives, eating his fill of his favorite meal."_

_Or maybe she wanted Haruka to do something with the Konoha 12? They were renowned ninja after all, maybe she was looking for Haruka to train with them and stop whatever plot Kabuto had in mind?_

_ "No." She heard the voice hiss beside her, and her face was forcefully pulled to face the other presence._

"_This is not safe, we will not stay here." He murmured gruffly, eyes narrowing into slits and glinting in the darkness by some unknown light source._

"_We're taking you away from here." Ryou disregarded her shush, his other hand coming to wrap around her bicep as his first hand moved from cupping her chin, a giggle from somewhere in the darkness agreeing with his statement._

_ "No! I won't leave!" Haruka fussed, loudly, struggling in Ryou's hold._

_ "Shh! You're going to get us-"His growl was stopped midway when light suddenly splashed across their features, making the two go rigid._

_ "Caught." He finished breathlessly as the two turned to acknowledge the group at the doorway_

Did you enjoy my snippets? Give me some feedback darlings!

Suffering For Acronym


	11. Killing Time

A/N: Much love to you as well my precious reviewers.

K, here's the disclaimer, I made him come back.

Disclaimer: (tied up, with a gag on as well) MRPH MRRRRR!

Miyako: That means that SFA doesn't own anything that has anything to do with _Naruto_, k?

Thank you, anyway…

Alright, I'm kind of screwing around with the Naruto canon timeline a little bit, so forgive me if you're one of those sorts of people that notice and are anal about that sort of thing, but it fits with my story better if it goes this way, at least that's the way I think…

_Killing_ Time

The Sand Team didn't arrive back to their hotel until late that night, as the preliminary matches lasted for that long, although that last match was less than two minutes tops.

Though they were carefully composed on their way towards the hotel and entering inside, they instantly started to call Miyako's name.

"Miyako?" Kankuro was the loudest, frantically opening doors and checking inside to catch even a glimpse of the girl.

"Miyako!" Baki's calls were more stern and aggravated as he checked around for her chakra.

"She's in her room." Gaara droned a silent 'idiots' at the end of that sentence, but it remained inside his head.

Baki took charge to her door, debating whether to pound on it harshly like he felt he should or take into consideration her mental wellbeing and knock quietly.

"I can sense you out there, Baki." Miyako's voice was a deadpan, largely emotionless.

"Come out, we need to talk about the exam-"

"Not now, I don't need your berating or our usual arguments over your belief that I don't know how to do my job. I _know_ I screwed up, Baki, but I didn't leave the siblings unprotected, I would _never_." Miyako continued to drone, though Baki could hear an undertone of self-loathing and vulnerability underneath her emotion drained front.

He paused in mid thought, the display throwing him off.

He'd never heard Miyako like that, in the month he'd known her he'd always known her to be headstrong and defend her values and her own abilities to the very end. She was obstinate, argumentative, _and insufferable_, but loyal and mostly trustworthy and almost overly protective, which Baki reluctantly admitted made her almost overly good at her job.

Therefore he had no idea how to approach this situation, he couldn't decide if he wanted to treat her the way that he treated other Jounin equals and disregard her personal feelings, or if he should treat her the way he ought to treat other 13 year olds and leave her alone to wallow in her overridden teenage emotions.

It was a difficult decision, although he was certain that Miyako would thank him later for treating her as an equal, she would scold him now for bothering her about it. Yet, it he left her alone now, she might yell at him for letting her show such subtle weakness, but might appreciate in the long run having her emotions funneled out of her.

He decided that it would be better to go with what he was certain with, and because girl's mood swings terrified him.

Baki appeared back in the living room to the curious and expectant stares of his team.

"She…just needs some time alone." He grumbled, and excused himself promptly without another word.

The Sand siblings let the information stew in their heads for a bit, mostly Kankuro and Gaara though, as Temari saw the problem as unprofessional and therefore unwarranted.

Which is why she rolled her eyes and exited the room as well, after all, why would she care about Miyako's problems? Hell she didn't even fully understand why Miyako was so distraught anyway, no one would tell her, and it seemed the only people aware of what was happening was Miyako, Gaara, that sunshine haired brat and his sensei, and she predicted that none would speak anytime soon.

Temari figured she would wait it out, either Miyako would admit her folly or Baki would kick her off the mission, the latter sounding much better to Temari than the former, but either way the situation would be remedied.

Kankuro did not have the same idea.

Temari and Gaara watched him suddenly rise and stomp away determinedly with dubious expressions, though Temari just figured that his stomach would not allow its only favorite chef to wallow in sadness at the risk of losing their precious three delicious meals a day.

G/M

A knock came to Miyako's door later in the evening, she wasn't paying too much attention, but she could vaguely make out Kankuro behind the door, twitching with nervousness.

When she didn't answer immediately he called out, timidly: "Uh, Miyako…are you alright? Do you want to talk about…whatever happened?"

"No." She grumbled as she continued to stare steadfastly at the wall next to her bed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright…"

She restrained releasing a heavy sigh as she waited to hear his footsteps pad away and when they finally did she took an inhalation instead of an exhalation, blotting out her thoughts and binding them with the fiercest mental cords she could imagine.

She was so busy with these acts that she was startled when a pounding was heard on her door, her sense barely registering Temari's presence.

"Miyako!"

She didn't even deign to answer her, though she shouted threats of breaking down doors and kicking asses when she did not receive one.

Miyako was just deciding that she'd much rather deal with her troubling thoughts than have to deal with Temari when her rampaging suddenly ceased mid-sentence.

Her soul caught on quickly even if her ears and senses did not, for she would always recognize Gaara's presence, even if she hadn't been inter-wound with him as she was so.

Suddenly, as if her very soul had called him to her, he was beside her; frowning at her side profile as she tried and failed to ignore his presence.

He didn't say anything at first, which would've been normal had their relationship not been taking a more curious path than that of his other relationships, but he also didn't do anything either, which made it less normal, the fact that he also wasn't doing anything violent also tipped her off to the fact that something very odd was about to happen.

When he hadn't said anything for a painstakingly long amount of time she broke the silence, her thoughts swirling madly into a whirlpool that battered her already weary body into a whiny state of a panicked syllable:

"Gaara-"

"No."

She sucked in a breath and paused as his simple frowning face turned into a full on glare.

"Why did you do that?" He finally questioned, as he was meant to.

"I couldn't let him say that about you, it's not true!" She burst before she could control and form her words into proper, sane and eloquent sentences that would both satisfy and pacify his curiosities without giving away her entire emotions.

His facial expression told her she had answered wrong as his mouth pulled down into scowl and his glare intensified.

"You are the only misguided individual who thinks so, no one else would've stood up for me like that; no one else would've dared."

It seemed that his words had the opposite effect on her than what they were supposed to, because instead of composing herself and gently reminding him that she was his guard and that she was supposed to stand up for him whether it be physically or emotionally, she instead only continued to fall prey to the emotion battering whirlpool.

"No, it's not that no one else would've dared, it's that no one cared, not even you! How could you just let him speak that way to you, him, of all people, should understand you best and I just-"

She wasn't supposed to let any of that slip, hell she didn't even know if Gaara knew that Naruto was a Jinchuriki, but Gaara hadn't seemed to be paying attention to her babbling because his hand was over her mouth in an instant.

It was squeezing, the pressure was not gentle but she suspected he didn't really know the difference, and his eyes were boring into her own, that was the only reason, besides the fanciful notion that Gaara never intended to anyway, she knew that he was not attacking her.

"You are going to be quiet now and stop all your pathetic crying. Your job is to be a guard, not a simpering sympathetic fool. Tomorrow you will act accordingly in front of the others and never act this way again, and if I have to do any of this ever again I will kill you."

Tears sprung to the corners of her eyes, but not out of sadness or fear, which other people would consider normal when Sabaku No Gaara threatened them, but out of total and complete joy.

'He cares!' Was all her Gaara-obsessed mind could think as he slowly removed his hand and sighed deeply, probably misinterpreting her tears as further moping or fear of him.

When he made a cushion of his sand and plopped down, or perhaps regally lowered himself onto, she started to question whether he was learning to read her true feelings despite how well she had thought that she'd hidden them.

"What are you doing?" She murmured softly to him, confused by his actions, an emotion she was not familiar with.

"Go to sleep." He commanded, not meeting her gaze to instead gaze at his one true love, the moon.

She faced him full on, as if that would give her some form of insight into his head, but nothing came to her, Gaara was locking his emotions up tight tonight. Perhaps he was more affected by her admission than she first thought, and therefore had muddled his feelings? Or was it that she had muddled her own feelings and therefore could not sense what was right in front of her?

She lied down, suddenly feeling very tired though she knew she would get no real rest with Gaara so close by and insistent as she imagined he was.

She couldn't let him know that she did not sleep as he did though, he would grow suspicious, and so she drew the covers over herself and called quietly,

"Goodnight then."

He only grunted in reply, and that was how their night ended.

G/M

The next morning found the Sand team enjoying a delicious breakfast with an overly chipper Miyako, which caused them all to look on at her, besides Gaara, with acute suspicion.

Baki took the first plunge, clearing his throat after a generous bite of natto he spoke to all, though he looked pointedly at Miyako.

"Don't think that your training is done, as you saw from your preliminary fights, these opponents aren't nearly as strong as you, but that doesn't mean that they can't pull something out in this month that will floor you unless you are prepared. So _**everyone**_ trains, we must prepare for the inevitable."

And what Baki basically meant by that was that he'd let her off for her weird behavior but that they were definitely done with the whole "secret jutsu" thing. He wanted to see what she was capable of and if yesterday was the extent of her abilities, and from the look on his face he was hoping that it was not.

"I agree." She chimed good naturedly, because there was absolutely _no way_ he'd let her get away with acting strangely and not telling him of all her jutsu, one or the other had to give, and because she'd rather _die_ than reveal her true feelings and secret intentions, fake jutsu would have to do.

It was silent for some time, and Miyako was just starting to calm when Kankuro got the courage to pipe:

"Are you feeling better, Miyako?"

She tried not to make her flinch too obvious, because the boy was already nervous as it was she didn't need him thinking that he'd made her revert in some way.

She beamed a smile at him, completely ignoring the prodding looks from the others. "Yes, Kankuro I'm quite alright, I do apologize for my behavior yesterday, it was unacceptable, and I guess the exams just got me worked up."

They seemed to buy it, well, except Gaara, because he thought he knew the real reason when really he had no earthly clue, but he played along nonetheless.

"Be prepared to train after breakfast, especially you Miyako, I'd like to see how you train your charges."

To avoid saying something she might regret Miyako stuffed her face with rice, avoiding any steadfast looks aimed her way.

G/M

They'd only just stepped out of the hotel and were ambling streets on their way to a nearby training ground when a yellow and orange blur streaked past them, nearly knocking Miyako over in the process.

"Naruto?" She mumbled in bewilderment, making the blur pause and whirl back around to her.

They caught eyes then, and suddenly all of the awful things she'd said and the actions she'd almost committed were reflected in clear blue oceans of sadness.

She stiffened in guilt, she needed to explain, at least to some extent so that he wouldn't look so _sad_ every time she saw him. She doubted he was capable of hatred for her, but she had an almost irrational fear that that sadness would only grow into loathing if she allowed it to fester. _Then _it might grow into hate.

She faintly felt rapidly growing irritation and overall _anger _around her as she continued to stare down the blonde, mind rapidly attempting to form syllables into words and more words into coherent words and words into sentences so that he could understand to some extent her reasoning, but the moment was suddenly broken by an uncharacteristic eep escaping Naruto's lips before he dashed away.

Her mind was still acting sluggish and so it took a moment longer than it was supposed to, to register that Naruto hadn't _vanished_, he had simply run away, quite obviously afraid of something-

When a black blur passed by without pause and heading in Naruto's general direction in the next second; everything suddenly clicked.

"Naruto!" She shouted, her voice taking on a pleading and worried tone despite what her best and base instincts were telling her. She found that her feet were not in sync with her brain either, because they were currently taking her rapidly along the same path both the strange chasing villain and Naruto had taken, though everything in her screamed that this was a bad idea.

It wasn't hard to catch up to Naruto and the villainous man, for they had paused on a rooftop to stare each other down with immense levels of testosterone that even had Miyako weary of interfering.

Her overpowering need to apologize won out over the fear of growing a penis in the midst of so much manliness though, and so she easily appeared next to Naruto just as he was shouting some nonsense about the man across from him being a closet pervert.

"Naruto." She called softly when the boy did not sense her presence immediately.

He jumped, but to be fair he only jumped a fraction and whirled around to face her, his eyes instantly guarded in a familiar way that made Miyako bite her lip self-consciously as he stared her down.

"I'm sorry." She instantly blurted, because it was the only _safe _thought in her head at the moment, and it made for a good topic starter to an apology anyway.

"About?" He sounded much gruffer and more grown-up than he should have and she felt that she was staring at one of those rare but forced adult moments that Naruto had to endure, she was sure, all his life.

'It's never easy to be misunderstood.'

"Yesterday, I never meant to get so emotional with you, I just-"

She only stopped because it looked as if he would retort, he didn't even look that angry, in fact if she was reading him right he looked a little understanding, not because of the exclamation of that other guy she'd forgotten about.

"Excuse me, Maki-san, but I have a pupil to train, if you would deign to speak with him later, as we have many things to do…"

When Naruto growled, a sound she had never heard from the boy's mouth, she raised an eyebrow in the "closet pervert's" general direction.

"What's going on?" She mumbled to her friend who had started twitching as soon as the man had stuck his haughty nose in the air.

"Miyako-chan, if you help me get away from this crazy pervert I'll drop the whole incident!"

If it was at all possible Miyako's eyebrow rose even higher and into her hairline. Was Naruto seriously bargaining his forgiveness on her ability to get her away from this supposed pervert?

"Who are you?" She called out to him, ignoring Naruto's pouts for the moment.

The man pushed up his circular sunglasses and cleared his throat, "I am Ebisu, special Jounin and trainer of future Hokages."

Of course she was paying attention to his speech but the whole time she was really assessing his actions and body language to discover the true nature of the man. While she could not see any closet perverseness as Naruto was so quick to point out, she did notice his overconfident nature and overall cockiness, traits she did not like in people, especially when harnessed in such a dangerous profession such as ninja. Those were the types of traits that got ones killed.

"Oh yeah," she drawled, "you look pretty young to be boasting something of that magnitude, tell me, how many Hokages have you made thus far?"

She heard Naruto snicker from beside her as Ebisu's whole demeanor changed, the crinkling around his eyes suggesting that she had miffed him with her question.

"I'll have you know that I am currently training the Hokage's grandson!" He pushed his glasses up to reiterate the seriousness of his answer.

"Last time I checked the Hokage's _grandson_ and the Hokage are two different people, and furthermore the Hokage title is something you earn, it is not hereditary. If it was you wouldn't have much of a purpose would you?"

He ground his teeth, mouth open in preparation for an indignant response of some kind no doubt, but by then Miyako had already made a decision.

"C'mon Naruto." She sighed, grabbing the boy's hand without further warning and making a quick hand sign and spiking her magic to transport them _anywhere else_.

They ended up right outside the Sand team's hotel, whether by unconscious thought of Gaara or her conscious thought that they would certainly still not be there, she didn't know.

"Thank you!" Naruto sighed, glomping the girl suddenly.

She pulled him off when she'd regained her balance, setting him down square on his feet and bracing him by the shoulders to emphasize the sudden shift of mood. All joking was aside for this part.

"Naruto." She shook him so blues would connect purples.

"I told you I'd drop it."

"That's not good enough for me. You have to know why."

He made a show of shutting his lips and looking expectantly up at the girl, for she was at least a few inches taller than him.

Although she'd just said that, it was harder to form the words that would make him understand without telling him something he probably didn't want to hear, something that he probably wouldn't believe or comprehend.

She had to try though.

"Naruto…I…have a responsibility to the Sand siblings."

That was a good way to start, but it still didn't explain her odd attachment to them, or more importantly to Gaara.

He didn't look like he understood any better than when he'd first looked at her with fear and betrayal yesterday.

"It's…hard to explain." She sighed in frustration and began to pace.

"I…think I sort of get where you're going…"

She turned to look at him skeptically and yet a little hopefully, as if he really _could_ understand any of her relationship with the Sand siblings…much less Gaara.

"You're not a normal guard." He said simply, because that's what his conclusion really was, simple.

"I mean," he started to babble, "It just seems that you take your duty a lot more seriously than other ninja of your village, I mean. It seems like the Sand siblings mean something to you at least, and Old man Hokage and Iruka sensei always told me that you fight harder for your precious people…"

The skeptical look had melted away as Naruto had continued on his tirade of what he had thought was senseless nonsense, but what had actually gotten closer to the truth than she thought was even possible, for well, anyone.

She beamed at the boy, she'd always known he was brighter than people gave him credit for, hell than she had even given him credit for.

"Yes, Naruto, exactly like that." And then before she even knew what she was doing, she was embracing him, tightly.

He hugged back, his head coming to rest on her shoulder.

"So," she pulled him back once again, "you understand that it was nothing against you personally right-?" She tried to control her wince when that was partially a lie.

"Because you're precious to me too, you know?"

Naruto didn't say much to that, but to be fair the reappearance of her "precious people" really didn't give him a chance to try and get in a word edgewise.

"Miyako!"

Baki was in a chastising mood than, she thought as she whirled around to face the four with their general displeased expressions on their faces.

Then her brain suddenly reminded her that she was supposed to be training the three this morning, _not_ running around with Naruto and saving him from supposed perverts and have heartwarming and understanding moments with him. All of these things combined generally tended to piss off the Sand team.

She sighed, "I'll see you later." Not a good thing to say in front of the people that absolutely abhorred her apparent friendship with any sort of Leaf Shinobi, but she didn't really care about their feelings so much right now. She needed Naruto to know that she cared about him just as much as she cared about them.

"Bye Miyako-chan!" He called brightly, waving fast as she set off with the Sand siblings to their original destination.

"What was that?" Baki bit once out of ear range of the once again hyper blonde.

Her brain was starting to function properly again now that she didn't have Naruto as one of her mounting problems, and so it was fairly easy to retort to Baki's hissing tone.

"It's called collecting information, do you really think that the tactic you're currently taking is going to make a difference in the destruction of this place? The best way to destroy someone so utterly and completely is to worm past their defenses and build a false trust. The inside is the most important, which means getting to the _people_ of the Leaf village, because if you don't do that then you'll never accomplish anything, you'll only make more problems for Suna, and you don't want that do you?"

By the time she'd finished her whispering tirade they'd made it to the training grounds, with the siblings looking curiously on at their exchange.

Baki relented, as he would always have to, and turned to the siblings.

"You know you're respective opponents, now is the time to seek out their weaknesses and exploit them."

At the sudden mention of opponents Miyako remembered that there was still one last test, a test she still did not know the details of.

"Wait, who are your opponents?"

"Ah, a good question, your theory could come into good use here Miyako, by providing the information needed for the siblings to succeed."

Baki was smiling much too grimly for her tastes and she couldn't help but wonder what he had in mind with that question…

With a jolt she realized that he was testing her, he knew, or at least had strong suspicions that Miyako's interactions with the Leaf Shinobi were not as deceit driven as she made them appear, and that by refusing to give them information on any weak points or jutsu that she had observed thus far she was basically incriminating herself as a traitor.

She played off her knowledge, "Who are the opponents?" She reiterated.

"Kankuro's opponent is Aburame Shino, and Temari's is Nara Shikamaru."

She almost fell to the ground singing praises of Hallelujah, because she knew nothing of either Shikamaru's or Shino's jutsu or weaknesses, as far as she knew they didn't even possess any, but that didn't mean that Baki was a fool, he had to know that her precious ties lied within Kakashi's team and only really linked to the man himself and Naruto.

With that thought came another, another which almost made her hyperventilate with worry and stress.

Oh god what if Naruto's opponent was Gaara?

No, no, she needed to hear it before she even let herself think of any possibilities.

"And Gaara's opponent?"

Please let it be Sasuke, _please_ let it be Sasuke.

"We've no idea, we won't know until all of the first matches are finished." Baki looked smug at her stoic face.

'He's doing this on purpose!'

"What does that mean? Who will be his opponent after the first rounds are complete?" She demanded, because she knew he knew, he _had _to, matches were not that ambiguous.

Before Baki could further try to prod a reaction from her, Gaara spoke up.

"I will fight the Uchiha."

He sounded so certain that Miyako instantly deflated and met Baki's a little less cruel smile with a cool stare to match.

"Unfortunately I only know things about the Uchiha, Nara and Aburame are completely foreign to me. I know nothing about their clans or their fighting styles personally. Seeing as I've fought the Uchiha before I can only provide what I know from that fight and what I've learned thus far." She made sure her answer was as robotic as possible, which made Baki's visible eye tighten in frustration.

She had to admit that he had been close.

"Fine, than it appears you two are on your own." Baki groused to the older siblings, although his eye still remained locked in Miyako's impassive ones.

She heard the rush of the wind as the two jumped off, leaving her, Baki and Gaara alone.

"Gaara, I know you are more than capable of tussling with the Uchiha, but that doesn't mean that you should drop any training."

It was a suggestion, not a demand as it should've been, but to be fair no one ever demanded of Sabaku No Gaara anything.

"Meaning," Miyako's tone was much harder than Baki's which had him looking at her like she was insane, "that you shouldn't take the Uchiha lightly."

Sea foam and Purple met this time, and both remained delightfully stoic, though both sets had a hard underlining to them.

"Hn."

"Gaara, Uchiha can only get stronger from here on out." She promised vaguely, making both males narrow their eyes upon her.

"You beat him." Gaara reminded in a quiet, mocking voice. He was underestimating her; he was underestimating him.

"That was a month ago, and before he developed the Sharingan, he's much more dangerous now than he was when I fought him."

'In more ways than one.' She thought with a grimace.

"Good, now maybe he will actually be up to par."

She wanted to shout to him that he wasn't invincible, he never was, but he was done with the conversation, his leftover pile of sand said as much.

She glared at the pile, pretending it was its stubborn master.

Baki broke her of her staring contest, "Miyako." His voice was back to sounding stern, it was always that way; he was always stern with the people that it didn't make a difference with.

"…What really happened yesterday?"

She whipped around at his demanding tone, eyes narrowed into mean slits.

"Why don't you just come right out and say whatever you have to say, I don't have time to play these mind games with you!"

"You're not fooling anyone, one day you blow up on the Leaf ninja boy and the next you're treating him as if you've suddenly switched sides; it's obvious that he means more to you than your duty."

"Is that your assumption?

"There's no guessing, it's the plain truth: you're compromising this mission."

She grinned haughtily, her eyes speaking volumes, not even bothering to deny part of the obvious anymore, but that didn't mean she couldn't flaunt the strengths she clearly had over Baki.

"So get rid of me then."

His eye narrowed at the challenge, suspicion and disbelief coloring the brown iris.

"You're playing a dangerous game."

"Too prideful to admit that you need me?"

"We don't-"

"Except I'm the only one Gaara listens to, but you already knew that."

He scoffed a bit, but he conceded defeat, turning his head in shame to glare at the nearby trees.

"Why are you here?" He suddenly asked, eye trained on hers once again.

She debated internally for a moment, her options weighing heavily on the scale of their relationship.

She decided to give him a piece of the truth, after all he couldn't possibly fathom to depth of her feelings.

"For Gaara."

And then she set out to find just that person.

G/M

She found him easily, Gaara could never go any distance where she wouldn't find him.

It was just the place that he was visiting that had her floored, Konoha Hospital was the last place she expected him to be.

The same thing that pulled her to the Hospital, a warm, tingly connection deep inside of her born of the closeness of genie and master, also pulled her to the window of a room, except this connection was the cold separateness of Gaara's emotions.

The foreboding chills caused her to yank open the pane quickly and take in the situation, eyes widening at the scene.

This was Rock Lee's room, she knew because the bowl-cut haired boy was sleeping restfully in a bed. The only off thing about the room was the deadly sand hovering inches above his body, the agitated master that went with it, and the two frightened blonde and brown haired boys guarding the bed.

"Gaara!" She yelled loudly before her mind could fully even process the situation.

Just as she burst into the room to stop whatever rampage her master had gone on now, Gai did, looking very pissed about his pupil being attacked a second time.

Instantly Miyako's instincts kicked from offense, well, about as offensive as Miyako could get with Gaara, which was just basically words, into defense, which she was much better at anyway.

Gai looked ready to strike when Miyako materialized in front of him, palms already crackling with a low level of lightning.

"Step away, Gai-sensei." She murmured, balling her fists so she would not strike against him for even radiating deadly intent near her master.

"Get him out of here." He ground out.

She would've done just that, if he hadn't ushered himself out at that precise moment.

The sand fell limp, though Gai-sensei still flinched when it hit the skin of his student.

"I'm sorry." She had the decency to at least sound contrite for Gaara's actions, because she knew that the boy was just confused with the whole situation of the relationship between Gai-sensei and Lee as student and teacher.

She eyed the blonde warily, wondering why he was even in the hospital in the first place, but dismissed it as him just visiting Lee as well as Shikamaru.

"I apologize to all of you, I promise that it won't be so out of hand next time."

It was a shit promise: she didn't have the power to stop Gaara from going wherever it was that he wanted to go, she could only convince him to _maybe_ not to do the wrong things, it was just lucky this time that he had listened to some form of reason, because it surely wasn't hers.

Suddenly what she'd said to Baki earlier meant absolutely nothing anymore, hell the man could get rid of her right now and not even worry about getting into any sort of "trouble" whatsoever, as it was easy to see that she was just overplaying her influence. Gaara, right now at least, was Gaara, and could not be convinced to be anything otherwise, not until she managed to squeeze Naruto into the picture somehow.

The only thing she could do now is run after and give him the reaming of his life.

G/M

"What the hell was that?"

It was the coldest she had ever come off to Gaara.

He was currently hiding his psychological instabilities very well, just calmly sitting in a tree in a park that hung just over a bench that some young couple was cuddling on.

The only unusual thing about him that she could see was his intense scrutiny of the couple sitting under him.

He ignored her question to instead ask her another completely off topic one instead.

"What are they doing?"

He sounded so confused and childlike that she paused in her mindless seething to jerk her attention down to the subject so that she could answer his useless question and get back onto a relevant and important topic, that is-

She choked on her own saliva when she saw that he confused not about cuddling but about…

"Kissing." She answered shortly, because that is all she would allow herself to say, for if she elaborated that they were kissing, with tongue, she might lose her entire composure and squeak in embarrassment.

He lifted non-existent eyebrows up at her, his look reading that her answer was not satisfactory, he wanted _more._

The thoughts that she was _not_ supposed to let her mind think were surfacing, hormones racing and responding to the desire to be down there with her red-headed master instead of up here, having to _explain_ it to him…

"It's…" She fought a blush. "There lips are touching Gaara." She tried to explain as simplistically as possible.

'And their tongues are probably down each other's throats and their bodies are probably going to meld together pretty soon like I **wish** you would do-STOP!'

His forehead wrinkled though his face still remained impassive and while he was distracted with his thoughts Miyako wrapped her scarf tighter around enflaming cheeks.

Just when she was starting to calm and beat the blush mentally down off of her face, her master floored her once again.

"You and Uzumaki were close like that earlier too."

With that statement Miyako mentally shut down for all of two seconds in an attempt to decipher what Gaara just said.

"W-what?!" She buried her face further into her scarf at the sheer embarrassment of her master even implying that she…and Naruto-

"Were you going to…?" He sounded curious, if not a little angry as well, but she just barely caught tinge of that.

"N-no! You don't just kiss anyone, Gaara!" She semi-yelled.

'As if I'd want to kiss just anybody! Are you so dense that you don't see that I only want to kiss you!?''

He narrowed his eyes, thinking once again, allowing her time to beat down her more furious blush, his constant onslaught of embarrassing questions wasn't really helping her imagination either.

"Would you kiss me?"

The inquiry was softer than she imagined it would be, but she was also surprised to hear a demand in that inquiry.

"Wh-"

"You said that you'd do anything for me, right?"

No, technically she did _not_ say that, but it was true nonetheless and he must've noticed that too what with the way he was looking at her expectantly.

He didn't even give her a chance to answer, that's how confident he was, and continued: "I still don't understand kissing, so show me."

She couldn't school her features then, she just knew that her eyes were bugged, that the visible portion of her face was red, and that her hands were wringing themselves into oblivion.

If he could see inside her he's also know that her heart was beating in double time, that her mouth had gone completely dry and that every nerve ending inside of her was alive and tingling at just the _thought_ of kissing Gaara.

Good thing he couldn't see inside her then.

"Alright." How was her voice so calm, so steady? She didn't know, but she guessed she had put herself on auto-pilot, because there was just no _way_ that she'd be able to say these things if she wasn't.

"Close your eyes." She demanded, making Gaara raise an eyebrow that he didn't have and eye her distrustfully.

"It's a part of kissing." She promised.

He lowered his lids, though he was tense and she slowly crouched down to his level until her lips were hovering just above his.

'Hovering…just like his sand only a few minutes ago…waiting to commit an act that would only further make him into a monster…'

Why was she thinking those things _now?_ It was just ruining the whole moment for her. She had wanted to kiss Gaara since she'd seen him and discovered she had hormones, so why was she hesitating, now of all times when she had the perfect opportunity?

She could see Gaara's lids quiver in impatience and irritation, a signal that he would soon open them and so she made her decision then.

She just gave him a tiny peck.

She ignored his eyes shooting open at the pressure, and her own blood singing in her veins as it enjoyed that small millisecond of taste and stored it away for future reference.

"We should head back, you have to train."

If he was dazed he snapped out of it then, glaring at her as if they hadn't just kissed.

"I told you-"

"And I told _you_," She groused over him, "that Uchiha _is stronger now_, plus he's bound to be pulling some tricks up his sleeves after hearing about the fight between Lee and you. He's going to be prepared Gaara, you have to be too."

She stared him down to put emphasis on her point, but Gaara did not waver, and so they stared each other down for a while.

Finally he tsked and swirled away with his sand, Miyako following immediately after his trail.

G/M

She could not get out of it today.

The whole week she had been managing to avoid training any of the siblings by gathering "Intel" on the Leaf Shinobi for them to use.

Today was not the case, further proven by the fact that she was standing in the middle of the training grounds at this moment staring down the Sand Siblings.

"C'mon Miyako, show us what you got." Kankuro, of course.

"It won't be much." She grumbled to herself.

Gaara had somehow been talked into participating as well, but his version of participating was simply to sit and watch creepily in a tree.

And so it was her against Kankuro and Temari.

"Why don't you go first?" Miyako called louder, smiling indulgently in his direction.

Temari took the invitation, immediately waving her giant fan and throwing a large gust of wind in Miyako's direction.

She sighed just as the wind rushed her and stood her ground, literally.

When the wind passed Temari cursed loudly to see her standing unscathed amidst the destruction around her.

"Kankuro?" She invited, who shook his head and stayed his distance.

"One thing I can tell you about Shikamaru, Temari, is that he's much smarter than he appears. If you want to win do it quickly but smartly, because if you wait too long he'll have already analyzed the whole situation and formulated plan two steps ahead of you for any move that you could possibly make. When I say that kid's a genius, I literally mean a genius."

Temari looked miffed, but nodded begrudgingly.

"Kankuro, all I can honestly say is: prepare for anything. The only thing I know about Shino is that he has an arsenal of bugs at his disposal. That's bad for you. Also that he appears to be a little unforgiving in battle, but that's just a guess."

Kankuro sent a fleeting look to Baki, but otherwise said nothing.

"Ready?" She called, widening her stance.

"Just go already! If you're supposed to be treating us like opponents in the exams then you-" She didn't care to listen to the rest of Temari's speech so she kicked her leg up, sending a curved wave of energy twice as long as her body hurtling towards the two.

It was effective in cutting Temari off as she was too busy dodging.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Miyako called mockingly.

A gust of wind was her answer, but this was Wind scythe, and so she made quick work of disappearing into the forest.

The object of the training was to get the siblings ready for anything in their matches, seeing as they knew little to nothing about the jutsu either Nara or Aburame used. While Miyako doubted either could manifest giant waves of purple energy, the purpose was still relevant in teaching them how to outmaneuver forward, visible, elemental jutsu in long range.

She could sense them hiding amongst the flora, and so created several clones to sweep and set up traps, fire off long range attack via "jutsu", mid-range "jutsu" and short range "jutsu", and whomever came in contact one of the two first of the clones that were left would engage them in hand to hand combat as well, if they could not ward them off that is.

Miyako sat, back against the tree, panting heavily though she was not physically doing any work.

She felt Gaara's appearance at her side rather than saw, and she grunted in acknowledgement when he seemed to be waiting for her to notice him verbally.

"You said you were collecting Intel all week."

"You don't need to train, remember?" She shot despite herself.

Gaara gave her a growl in response and she felt the graininess of sand slip up the sleeves of her fishnet shirt.

"What did you gather on the Uchiha?" His tone left no room for argument, and while she would've, had she been another person, she sighed and relented, but only a little.

"It's bad."

"You're probably over exaggerating."

"You would hope wouldn't you?"

She looked at him then, and like Columbus, discovered that he was indeed not amused with her stalling.

"He has lightning style, you know, the kind that could cut through your sand no matter how tightly you pack it?"

"You're bluffing." His retort was quiet, but she was discovering as well that that usually meant that he was nervous.

"Are you starting to believe me now when I say that Uchiha is dangerous?"

She knew that she was being irrationally poignant with him, but he really wasn't getting it, add to that that she was slowly growing weaker each day that passed added onto that she had to put on this façade of being a ninja which took _more_ magic and you have a very irritated Miyako.

"If you're lying to protect me-"

"And what if I was?" She cut, glaring at him now, something she would've never thought to do seven years ago.

When he didn't say anything she went on, ranting again for the second time in his presence, although this time for different reasons.

"So let's count the strikes against you again, shall we? One he's got the Sharingan, two he's training in lightning style, three he's heard about your match, and thusly four is probably accelerating his speed. Now tell me, if you were me and you knew all that, wouldn't you be a little concerned for you to?"

He was going to open his mouth to start an argument with her again, she just knew it, and no, it wasn't just because of the attempted tightening of the sand on her arm.

Kankuro's big mouth saved them though.

"Uncle!"

It was just then that Miyako realized that they were in the middle of a training session and her clones were currently beating exhaustion into not only her but apparently them.

She gladly put up the hand sign to release the clones, but she did not move from her spot.

No, she was not tired, and she was not going to pass out any second. That's all she just had to tell herself. She was fine dammit, _fine._

Gaara must've known better though, because he easily picked her up with his sand and floated them both down to the ground, dropping her to the ground gingerly and with a lot more care than she previously thought him capable, but he did give her a little harsh jerk that woke her from whatever sleep she thought she could fall into.

"Well?" Temari looked expectant as she sat panting.

She'd hardly paid attention to her clones' memories as they'd returned to her, but she hadn't needed to, because the fact simply was…

"You both need more work." Was all she said before marching steadfastly off in the direction of their hotel, clearly stating that training, at least on her end, was over for the day.

Gaara joined her on her little walk home and though they walked in silence for a little while, Gaara must've seen it as slow going, which it was, and so picked her up without warning with his sand and whisked them away.

In the next second she was in her bed at the hotel, sand in places she'd rather not talk about and much more awake than previously; blinking rapidly at a stoic looking Gaara who seemed to be appraising her.

"Tomorrow you're training me and only me."

She didn't know what to think of that statement, and if she _had_ known, Gaara didn't give her a chance to state it as he exited just as quickly as they'd arrived.

She sat up all night thinking about what it could mean.

G/M

Why wasn't she freaked out?

Oh yeah, because she had seen Gaara kill a _lot_ more people before, and then he was only five, it was just the added cold-bloodedness that sort of had her cringing in acute fear, not of him of course but _for_ him, as always.

Besides, she had never much cared for those Sound ninja anyway, and especially not that one, that was the one rumored to have started the fight.

The only problem was that the third proctor, Hayate if she recalled, had witnessed the scene, just as she and Baki had.

She had no idea why Baki had run up to check on Gaara, or even knew _how_ Gaara was in the process of killing someone, but _she_ had known because she had felt a shimmer of threatening presence and had rushed up to the roof to assess the situation only to find that Gaara had easily finished the job himself.

_Why _a Konoha ninja was hanging around the roofs of hotels she did not know either, but she didn't need to know that, what she needed to know was that he would be silent, and there was only one way to assure that silence.

Baki looked about ready to spring into action with the same thoughts in mind when Miyako stopped him.

"What-"

"I'll take care of it Baki, it's my job."

And he didn't try to stop her.

Of course she hadn't waited long enough for him to actually _think_ about the situation and give her an okay, but she just had a feeling that he knew that she meant to protect Gaara in this way. Seriously though, it was about damn time.

She appeared in front of Hayate fairly quickly; he did not seem at all surprised by her presence though, for he pulled out a sword and prepared to strike her. They clearly both knew what was going on here.

He aimed at her with deadly accuracy, and if she had been anything close to human anymore she might've been killed with the quickness of his strike. Unluckily for the two of them she no longer was human.

That is why she easily caught the blade, that is why she could ignore the stinging pain of the flesh of her hand being cut into deeply, that is why she could reach out with cheetah-like quickness and clasp onto his neck with gorilla-like strength, and that is why she could so easily break his neck and toss his body away without a thought, all of this in the mere span of twenty seconds.

She let Baki get rid of the body after he checked to make sure he was dead.

The only human action she committed for the rest of that night was making sure Gaara was unharmed, and when he was they sat together and watched the moon.

Sometimes she wondered if maybe Gaara wasn't the monster of this relationship.

G/M

A/N:

Hey guys, so sorry this took so long, but in my defense I'm in college now. Take that where you will.

I also think the length and the fluffiness are redeeming qualities of my lateness, right? Right? Well, if you forgive me, forgive me, if you don't then…please?

I'll try to update once a month now, but really everything depends on my schedule, which is really hectic people, so, just a head's up.

Anyway, uh, love you guys!

Sorry ,Forrealz, Acronym.


	12. Lasting First Impressions

A/N: Thank you for your forgiveness my precious peeps, it means a lot to me that you would throw away my transgressions and welcome me back with open arms.

But enough of the sappiness.

Here's to my loyal reviewers:

REDRydingHood: Thanks darling, unfortunately the fluffiness won't be back, at least not right now, but I hope you enjoy drama and plot twists.

Red X17: Good, I hope you feel the same way about this one.

And to everyone who reviewed on Chapter Ten that I foolishly did not acknowledge in as I scrambled to get Chapter 11 out, I apologize, and beg your forgiveness, again.

Anyway, if you didn't read the comment to REDRydingHood, this chapter will not be as fluffy as _Killing_ Time, although the fluffiness kind of died at the end in my opinion, but what do I know? Plus, it's called _Killing_ Time, that just overshadows the fluffiness for me, but it might just be because I'm the writer…

Anyway…

Expect a lot of drama, and plot twists, and overall un-fluffiness, I suppose, although it could depend on your definition of fluff…

But enough of my babbling, Disclaimer?

Disclaimer: Yeah, SFA doesn't own _Naruto_, capice?

Sorry, he's been watching _The Sopranos_ , anyway.

Lasting First Impressions

Today was the day.

No, it wasn't a day of joy, like Gaara confessing his overpowering love for her, or their wedding day where she would finally live happily ever after…

As if.

No, today was the day of the final match of the Chuunin exams.

Other people were excited, like her little ball of sunshine, and the ice prince, but not she, nothing about this day could be exciting.

To start off, Gaara would have to fight someone.

That in itself was bad, add to that that he had to fight Uchiha and you've already got a worked up Miyako.

But it got worse.

Today was also the day of the attack.

She dreaded it, she truly did, not only because it would put her precious master in danger, which was the most stressful reason, but because it would put everyone else she'd grown to cherish on the opposing side in danger.

No, she did not care about the faceless civilians, as cruel as it was for her to say that, she only cared that her precious few would be hurt, even worse that they might be hurt that the faceless civilians _she_ cared not about would be hurt. And if both sides somehow managed to survive this endeavor, then her precious opposing few would be compromised and most likely _forced_ to act against her precious master, causing _her_ to have to be compromised into acting against them…

It was just a vicious flowing cycle of madness for the genie.

She hadn't realized that she had been ignoring it before, of course she had flung the word around like a threat for the past month as if she _completely _understood and went along with what they were doing, but now that the dreaded day was here and she was forced to _think_ upon it, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Just having to sit through the meetings and actively _discuss_ plans of attack, tactics of betrayal and the use of…_the monster_, her Gaara, was enough to make her sick the last week before the dreaded day, today.

Oh God, today.

Somehow she had managed to convince herself even then that it wasn't real, that if she closed her eyes hard enough she would wake up in her fairytale land with none of these worries, none of these concerns.

If she just squeezed hard enough-

"We will now commence the first match, will the competitors, Hyuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto please step forward?"

Miyako ripped her eyes open to drink in every detail of Naruto's upcoming match.

"Miyako-chan, are you alright?" A soft voice squeaked beside her.

She blinked rapidly as she came back to the present and focused on the voice beside her.

She was currently sitting at the end of an aisle somewhere in the middle of the stands to watch the matches. Of course, as a Jounin guard she had many excuses to sit _anywhere_ else so that she could leave and chain herself up during Gaara's match, but she had stupidly promised Naruto that she would cheer him on during his match, so he would be looking for her.

Although, when he looked up at her through his too blonde eyelashes and pleaded like that it was really hard to say no to him.

With a sigh she had to admit that she would have sat in the stands for the boy's match whether he had asked her to or not. She didn't regret it, and wouldn't regret it.

"M-miyako-chan?"

Oh shoot, she kept forgetting that she was in the midst of company and could not just go spacing out like that.

She turned her head to the shy Hyuga girl and placated her with a bright smile.

"So sorry Hinata-chan, I was just spacing out, nothing to worry about here."

"O-oh, th-that's good." The shy girl continued to look anywhere but at Naruto, because obviously seeing her crush had her enflamed with mad butterflies.

Miyako held in the urge to giggle maniacally, as they were still amongst company, specifically Kiba, who she did not want to have to explain girl crushes to.

Speaking of crushes she wondered on more dangerous topics, like if she and Gaara would ever kiss again, maybe for real next time.

She doubted it, Gaara was difficult, and furthermore emotionally unavailable. Heck, Hinata had a better chance of reeling in dense Naruto than she had with Gaara right about now.

But that's not what was important, what was important was that the match had begun and Neji was kicking the tail of her precious sunshine.

It was just lucky for him that Miyako was not so motherly to her friend that she'd forego all faith in the boy.

The battle seemed to take turns wilder than a writhing serpent, when she thought that Naruto had gotten Neji by tricking him into thinking his clone was himself, Neji took that turn and turned it into his own with his whirly move, Kaiten as Hinata had explained tensely. When Neji tried to hold onto that turn by attacking Naruto mercilessly with 64 strike, a move that blocks all tenketsu Hinata also explained, further explaining to the still confused Miyako that tenketsu was what controlled the flow of chakra, Naruto surprised him once again by proving to all that he was tougher than he looked.

'Still, if what Hinata says is true any attacks he tries are useless, and his Taijutsu isn't strong enough to match up to Neji's. Forget the irrational fear of the Uchiha's, Hyuga's and their pokes of death are what I should really fear.'

Miyako tuned out Neji's lecture on destiny, having already heard it once and grown tired of his repetitiveness, and instead she split her focus between being worried for Hinata's rapidly deteriorating health and looking suspiciously around for a slightly familiar chakra signature.

'I noticed Akamaru communicating with Kiba earlier about something suspicious, the obvious hushed tones and the tense posture, but I didn't fell the presence of this chakra during that time, what really concerns me though is the eerie familiarity of it. Who could it be?'

While she had been lost in her thoughts things had started to happen simultaneously. One, Neji had shown off his forehead to the world and started to tell some really sad tragedy of a life story. Two, Hinata had started to cough blood, clearly indicating that that fight had damaged her more than she let on. And then the eerie chakra had gotten closer to them and its owner was an ANBU Black Ops, rarely someone to be so afraid of, unless you were on the wrong side of them, so why did she get the creeps just being around this guy?

'Sorry Naruto, I have to see what this ANBU guy could possibly want with Hinata, though in retrospect it really shouldn't be any of my business, Hinata doesn't deserve to be hurt any more than she's already had to.'

Miyako followed the ANBU carrying an unconscious Hinata and a frazzled Kiba up the stairs and split her thoughts between studying the suspicious ANBU and watching the match.

The two exchanged words, Naruto's of course were things of brass determination and promises of ass-kicking, while Neji's were conceited scoffs and put downs that any bully would be proud of.

It made her blood boil to watch but she settled her nerves and beat down the instinct to slap Neji repeatedly until he wished that stupid seal would be activated just to escape the humiliation.

Naruto's vow to win rang in her head and through the stands and she wondered what the boy had up his sleeve now that all of his chakra had been shut down.

The immense buildup of the most deadly tasting chakra was almost a slap in her face and if that wasn't enough the wind that came with it did the trick, reminding her sharply that Naruto was no ordinary Shinobi and that this element of him was the entire reason he was capable of slapping some sense into Gaara.

'The Kyuubi, how could I forget?'

Neji, along with everyone else around the age of 18 and younger gaped at the sight and wondered how the strange red chakra could be, where it came from, and why Naruto of all people possessed it.

Gaara's surprise was yet another slap to the face; so strong was it that it nearly made her confuse the emotion as her own.

'Yes Gaara, you might've picked the wrong opponent indeed.'

The battle turned tide again, Naruto's speed increasingly phenomenally, his strength tearing up the playing field as he charged and slid and struck at Neji.

The climax was epic.

A mushroom cloud of dust covered the area of the grand impact of Naruto super powered kunai thrust and Neji's Katien's kunai thrust, leaving the audience biting their nails in suspense as they waited in silence for the dust to settle.

'C'mon, C'mon! Don't you faint on me now Naruto or I'll never forgive you!'

Neji appeared out of his crater and as the smoke cleared and Neji paused in front of him most dropped their heads in defeat at the unconscious Naruto lying peacefully in his crater.

'No! This can't be. Naruto what have you pulled and it better be something good or so help me-'

Neji was saying something, but Naruto popping out of the ground like a mole and left hooking Neji so hard that his hands started bleeding shut him up real quick.

'Well that was an interesting way of saying "shut up"' Miyako couldn't help herself, hopping up to shout:

"Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" before giggling triumphantly.

Naruto rubbed something in Neji's face before he was announced the winner, acting his goofy self and prancing around throwing kisses at the audience.

Neji was taken away and Naruto made his way up to the breeze-way with the other contestants. Miyako determined that although she really didn't like this ANBU he apparently was good at healing as Hinata looked ten times better than she did before.

The only problem with this messed up happy scenario was the lack of one Uchiha Sasuke. Not that Miyako saw it as too big of a problem, if it meant that Gaara didn't have to face off against what she considered was her own personal hell on earth that was fine, totally fine in fact.

'Maybe they'll disqualify him, that will surely mess up the plan and I'm all for messing up the plan. Gaara might be a little on the homicidal side afterwards but that's nothing a little Sound killing spree won't fix.'

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems that the next competitor has not yet arrived and so we will delay his match and as a result start the next match instead."

'What?! Dammit! Is this because he's a damn Uchiha?! That must be it, no one would make exceptions for anyone else if they were late, but just because he's the last surviving Uchiha in Konoha he gets special treatment, bah! Screw him and his Uchiha name, I swear if he knows what's good for him he'd better have chickened out against fighting Gaara, or I'll attempt to kill him myself.'

"Kankuro and Aburame Shino please step forward."

'Not gonna happen, we already discussed this. Apparently Gaara's match was supposed to be the cue for the infiltration to start, meaning that Temari and Kankuro would have a chance to save their hidden talents.'

"Proctor I give up!"

'I knew it.'

"I give up, so please continue on with the next match."

'That's going to piss off the crowd.'

Sure enough the crowd booed in protest, that is until Temari dramatically floated from the breeze way and onto the ground, forcing Shikamaru to make a choice, either get down there or forfeit, she couldn't picture what that would do to the crowd though, they'd probably hold some sort of riot in the stands.

'If Shikamaru knows what's good for him he'll get his ass down there and fight Temari, or she'll get pissy. I do not want to deal with a pissy Temari; dealing with a normal Temari is hard enough.' Miyako groaned in her head at the images that would cause and felt herself growing a headache at the mere thought of it.

Thank God for her sunshine and his exuberant ways, like pushing Shikamaru over the edge of the breeze way and forcing him to fight with Temari.

The match started and it was surprisingly short, they took Hinata away, Kiba following after, and the ANBU went back to minding his own business and doing his job, but that still didn't make her any less uneasy of him.

'He's up to something, whether it's our something or his own something I'm not sure, but I am sure that I want neither to happen. I have to figure a way to stop this infiltration from happening, or at the very least going smoothly. The only question is how. How am I going to screw up this infiltration mission so royally that not even Baki or any of the other superiors working on the other side can pick up the pieces?'

"Ladies and Gentlemen, about the final match."

'Well, if one Uchiha doesn't even show up that could bode very well in my favor. Gaara will almost refuse to cooperate without the appearance of Sasuke. Say he's disqualified, say it proctor!'

"It seems as though time is up and therefore Sasuke Uchiha is dis-"

A whirlwind of leaves interrupted his announcement, his announcement that had Miyako so close to happiness she could almost taste it. But no, stupid Uchiha and Kakashi just _had_ to show up didn't they? It was just like him to be late if Naruto's testimonies had any merit and as far as Miyako was concerned they were the gospel given truth right about now. Shouldn't the man get some sort of penalty for that?

"I know that this is kind of conceited to ask after that flashy entrance and all, but um, is Sasuke disqualified?"

'Say yes!'

"It seems he has caught onto your habit of being late."

'Aha! So everyone knows of Kakashi's terrible habits, so they must want to punish him in some way, right? Right?!'

"So is he?"

The proctor smiled, giving away his feelings plain to a now defeated looking Miyako.

"No, he arrived before the time was called so he's okay."

Kakashi sighed in relief, making Miyako unintentionally curse the ground he walked on. She decided after a few moments of pouting that it was pointless to blame Kakashi, how was he to know that she hated Sasuke with a passion rivaling the love she had for Gaara? He wasn't, ever, because he wasn't supposed to know that Sand was a bunch of traitors until the signal arrived, and he wasn't _ever_ to know the reason why she didn't like Uchihas, much less was she ever going to willing tell Kakashi that she loved Gaara, hell she couldn't even tell Gaara.

Speaking of Gaara, she needed to get over to the breeze way and make sure that he was at least still functioning like a sane human being.

He wasn't.

He and Uchiha were currently having a staring match that had him seething in bloodlust and had her glaring holes at Sasuke's head for even existing. Only he could make Gaara this excited it seemed, and for that she wanted him dead, just not by the hands of Gaara, that wouldn't bode well for anyone.

"That means you Gaara, get down here."

Gaara gladly complied, slowly trotting away like a possessed zombie.

Sasuke caught eyes with her as he waited for Gaara to come down and smirked at her snarl and glare in his direction.

"After this Maki I want a rematch with you!" He yelled to her.

She pulled her lip back to throw a smarm at him about having to defeat Gaara first if he even wanted to get a prayer of a rematch with her, but a sudden threatening aura became apparent near her precious master and so she bolted down the steps without answer, surely throwing everyone for a loop.

Of course by the time she'd gotten there Gaara had already taken care of what looked to be two former Grass ninja and now two more servants of hell. So she hid herself behind a wall and watched as he made his way slowly once again down to the stage, she only barely caught sight of Naruto and Shikamaru standing on the two separate sides of the stairs and tensed in anticipation to talk Gaara out of killing the two. Luckily he wasn't in the killing mood and simply walked right past as if they were decorations added onto the stairs.

She sighed softly, appearing from her hiding place to follow a similar path Gaara took, except much farther from the action than he was getting. If Gaara was going to fight she needed to preoccupy herself so she wouldn't go out there and do anything unnecessary to draw attention to herself and her origins.

She walked past the two as well, only pausing when Naruto called out her name-

"Miyako."

The lack of honorific at the end was what really made her stop dead in her tracks, she knew already what was coming, she just wished that she could've avoided it for just a moment longer.

"Naruto-kun, Shikamaru-kun." She turned to survey the two shaken boys with cool stares.

"Gaara…did you hear what Gaara said to us yesterday?"

She knew what he was talking about, the hospital of course, the traumatizing scene of the almost assassination of their friend.

"What did he say to you?"

"He said he would definitely kill us." Shikamaru informed. "You're supposed to know him better than anybody, right? So why didn't he kill us just then? He had a more than perfect opportunity."

She turned to face them fully, a sad smile tugging the corners of her lips.

"While I would like to tell you that it was because he was feeling in good graces, or forgot, or maybe that he sensed my presence behind him and thought better of his actions in thought of my feelings, that's all untrue. The truth is: the only person that matters now to Gaara is Sasuke. Sasuke is the only thing that's in the way of proving Gaara's existence; he is a challenge that Gaara is seeking to destroy to fulfill his twisted purpose in life."

"And that doesn't bother you!" Naruto exploded. "Why are you saying all of this with such a calm face? Sasuke could die, and yet you stand here and tell us all of this like were supposed to be accepting of the fact that your charge, that…that horrible excuse for a human being has set out to destroy another person! Why?"

"You think I don't realize that?" She shouted, stunning the blonde. "You think I'm happy about Gaara turning out this way?! Don't you think that I wish that I could do something?! You have to understand that that's not how this job works, I have been given a duty to protect Sabaku No Gaara, but not even I can protect him from himself or what's inside! He's gone dark Naruto, he's gone to a place that I have no hope of ever reaching, that maybe no one has hope of reaching and once he's bound and determined only few things can stop him. You should know that best. As for Sasuke…"

She ground her teeth in the thought of Sasuke hurting her precious master, but she had to admit that she'd been overreacting at wanting the kid dead, he'd done nothing personal to her and all he wanted from Gaara was a good fight. Those were innocent things to want and with reluctance she resigned herself to the fact that this fight would be one hell of one. She would have to chain herself up extra well just to get through it.

So she put on a smile that had anyone fooled and stated: "If you really want to keep him safe you either need to have more faith or attempt to stop the match yourselves."

With that she left the boys to ponder their options, her mind reeling through her own as she made her way down into the darkness of the inner corridors of the arena.

G/M

Miyako awoke with a start, sweat beading down a curiously ashen face as her whole body trembled.

'What happened? I can't remember.'

She tried to move her body, but found that her limbs were trapped.

'That's right,' she looked down to find familiar purple glowing chains around her form, 'the exams, I tied myself up for Gaara's as usual, but how did I end up passing out?'

She felt around for any signs of Gaara but found that he was no longer fighting, no longer in the arena even.

'That means that I must've passed out as a result of something happening during the match, but what was it? I remember Sasuke being fast and at one point Gaara had encased himself in the ultimate defense but everything after-'

A ghost of a stab at her shoulder ceased her thoughts and she cried out at the memories it produced.

'Sasuke, Sasuke that bastard Uchiha, he _**stabbed**_ Gaara with that lightning technique. That blasted lightning technique! The Lightning technique sent Gaara over the edge, made him bleed, God it hurts!'

She realized that said incident was fogging up her brain, and the phantom wound and pain was mostly Gaara's; permeating her emotions and mixing into a deadly concoction or worry, pain, fear and panic.

'I have to calm and I have to find Gaara and figure out what's going on.'

The chains were easily pulled off; walking was harder for some reason, probably the remnants of Gaara's pain still swimming around in her system. Still she made it out into the light of the stadium to find that it was vacated of its previous occupants, and when she inspected further a pile of Gaara's sand was lying dormant near a battle between Baki and the proctor.

"Miyako!"

She turned, her blearily eyes starting to clear with ever growing worry for her master and knowledge as information poured into her brain at a rapid pace.

"Where is Gaara?" She didn't even allow Baki to ask any question of her, her priority was Gaara and nothing else.

"The Siblings have taken him away, Uchiha Sasuke is after him."

Her eyes narrowed in anger at the news, just as the proctor took his chance to strike.

Baki parried, "we must get to them, help me with this!"

The proctor looked at her sidelong as he continued to strike as if asking her with his eyes if she was going to be a problem.

"You want me to help you?" She murmured; extending her hand out in the direction of the sand just as Baki locked the proctor into a dead lock.

Gaara's sand swirled to her illuminated palm hungrily as it always knew and trusted her and so thus aided her now.

"Fine." She made the now shimmering with specs of purple sand into a whip and flung her hand out in a violent motion towards the two males.

The proctor lunged back from the hold, but Baki was ever confident that Miyako would catch him.

He threw kunai in Miyako's direction who just as easily caught the weapons amidst her fingers making Baki's smile all the wider.

She would wipe it off his face.

He grew confused when the whip did not follow the proctor as he jumped sideways from Baki's incoming strike, but recognition soon dawned on his face, though soon was too relative a term.

Before he could comprehend he was on the floor, his cheek now sporting a blooming red bruise as sand wrapped viciously around his body in a bind and hardened.

"Miyako! What are you doing?" He shouted as the proctor looked on at her confused and suspiciously as she left her ally there and made her way to the stands.

"You told me to help you and so I did." She called back over her shoulder. "Now you won't die."

The proctor decided that Miyako wasn't too much trouble if she had gift wrapped his opponent up for him, but he was still cautious as he approached the enraged sensei.

Meanwhile Miyako had made her way up to the stands where some Sound ninja and the strange ANBU from before were attacking Kakashi and Gai while Sakura sat like her usual useless self looking on in fear.

She arrived just in time to hear Kakashi tell Sakura to go wake Naruto and Shikamaru up for a mission of some sort.

When he looked back they caught eyes and she had to make a valiant effort to keep an energy shield up as he tried to attack her relentlessly.

"I understand that you're mad." She grunted, pushing out with her shield and throwing the expert Jounin back, who simply flipped and made to go at her again, his one gray eye narrowed in a mean look.

"It doesn't even matter that the Sand betrayed the Leaf, what matters most is that you committed a dirty handed tactic in trying to worm your way into our hearts and succeeded, only to lead to this."

"It was truly never my intentions to get all of you to like me, I promise." She stated seriously, her eyes narrowing on an upcoming Sound ninja to Kakashi's right.

"I don't believe you."

She didn't expect him to, so she took care of the Sound ninja to his right, a bolt of lightning ripping a hole right through the poor sucker.

"It doesn't matter; my only intentions were to protect Gaara, never to have a part in this stupid infiltration mission. But that's what my Kazekage asked me to do and that's what I did. I never meant to befriend any of you in some sick twisted plot of betrayal and most of all-"She paused in order to shoot lances of lightning out at four separate Sound ninja attempting to attack Sakura and Gai before continuing.

"I never intended to like any of you back."

"You mean Orochimaru?" Gai was now participating in the conversation, as he also wanted to know why Miyako had betrayed them so harshly.

The surprise on Miyako's face was real as she looked up to find the Hokage trapped in what looked to be a giant purple box with a pale faced man…or was that a woman?

"I had no idea." She said sincerely as she turned back to the two still struggling males.

"I don't believe that either Miyako."

While he said this he summoned a dog on the back of a person and bid Sakura to do as he had told her. Miyako kept an eye on both Sakura and Kakashi as she electrocuted more Sound ninja.

"Traitor!" One cried as it clashed with her unexpectedly, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

"Boo hoo, I think I could care less what you scum think." Was the last thing he heard before Miyako touched his kunai digging into her shoulder and fried him with an electric current.

She hopped up only to find some Sound ninja attempting to maim Naruto.

Luckily Gai-sensei got to him before he could blink and punched him through a wall.

She'd glomp him if he wasn't so mad at her.

Kakashi retreated back to the children with the dog, while still watching her and the surrounding Sound ninja as if they were the same kind of enemy, and so she had to stay back a non-threatening distance in order to listen to what they were saying.

"The four of you are now on an A-ranked mission to follow Sasuke who is pursuing Sabaku no Gaara and his siblings and help him stop them from retreating.

Miyako rolled her eyes at Shikamaru's grumbling as the four ran away and her attention was brought back to focus on Kakashi as he addressed her.

"You will be taken in for questioning Miyako Maki."

His voice was a promise, a promise that she unfortunately couldn't keep, thankfully for her Kakashi had just done her job for her in sending the one boy that could stop Gaara's endless hatred and pain and bring him into the light.

"Sorry, that's not in my plans."

And they really weren't, no, her plans were much more radical than being caught by former friends and other Konoha ninja and she said as much with her disappearance within the next second.

Kakashi's curses graced her ears even as far away as she was and she had to quirk a tiny smile at that. She only hoped that her honorary older brother made it out alive of this situation that was steadily getting out of hand. What she couldn't wish to hope was that she would one day see him again and he'd have the heart to forgive her.

G/M

Miyako set out on a rampage, killing every Sound ninja in sight and knocking out every Sand ninja in her way. Many of the civilians of Konoha cowered at her presence at first, the headband was a reminder but looking long enough at her profile tended to remind people of her home origin, before slowly becoming confused at her turn of alliance to accepting of her help though they still looked cautious.

The ninja weren't taking such chances.

Everywhere she went there was a ninja nearby and every time she was spotted they attempted to apprehend her and cease her good deeds to their village in suspicion. This would only result in failure and Miyako moving on to the next task.

She started first with the Academy children, unknowingly aiding Iruka and the other teachers in their evacuation by warding off any opposing ninja. Unfortunately Konohamaru was much more observant than she'd first thought and noticed her hiding place where she was easily picking off the Sand and Sound teams one by one. The Academy teachers immediately reacted violently and drove her away. She'd then set her sights on the civilian evacuation but was soon foiled by a nearby platoon of Chuunin and again driven off. Then she'd tried the hospital aiding in defending the place from coming under siege, but a nearby medic Nin had seen and recognized her and drove her away as well.

Now she was currently standing in the middle of a street, killing as many Sound ninja as possible and taking out as many Sand ninja as possible.

Of course she was still keeping tabs on Gaara and the Sand Siblings as well as inadvertently keeping out an eye for Naruto and his teams because should they catch up to them, Gaara would certainly express some sort of emotion. If it were Sasuke it would have to be bloodlust and potential joy, should it be Naruto and the others it would be bloodlust and annoyance.

She was hoping she wouldn't have to step in and really do anything, it was already a handle enough having to fight off these Sound ninja guys, how did they have so many ninja for a newly established nation anyway? And using so much magic was taking its toll on her, as she predicted it would and was steadily weakening her to the point where she was sure she would become an easy target soon should she stay on the field of battle any longer.

It was nice to help the village she had somehow come to love in these past two months, though they didn't seem to really like her all that much anymore considering the circumstances. It was then that she realized that none of her masters had ever come out of Konoha and it was a place of truly warm hearted people, well ninja at least, she couldn't say much for the civilians, but civilians usually tended to be stupid about certain things anyway, so…

'I can feel the last of my reserves this is going to have to be the final move before the finale, the big bang before the blowout.'

She looked up to the purple box where the Hokage and the pale man were still fighting, a sinking feeling settled deep in her stomach as she watched him take what looked to be the final strike on his determined face.

"Die traitor!" The words were spat just behind her, and she silently cursed her habitual lack of concentration as a sword ran through her to the hilt.

Blood came out of course but ignoring the pain was easy when one was Gaara's servant and causing another pain also came naturally and so she paid him back tenfold with a lance of lightning that mirrored her situation, ironically.

He fell and as Miyako gazed on at him she figured she should literally go out with a bang and in the style of her would-be brother.

So she made fake hand signs going all out in the order and speed and as she stopped in the form of monkey she whispered: "Lightning Style: Dance of the Lightning Lances"

Purple lightning engulfed her form, charging it and even vibrating the blade still stuck inside her chest before throwing itself outwards in all directions in a "dance" of never ending lances that struck through and killed at least a hundred more Sound men before the attack ceased and Miyako fell, on her side, exhausted.

'That's it, that's the rest. Whew, I haven't felt this tired since I woke up two months ago, add to that that I haven't slept since two months ago and you have a very tired Miyako. Maybe I should just rest my eyes for a moment, besides the scenery around my nearest vicinity looks rather dull, broken buildings, scrambling feet, things on fire, nothing interesting about these surroundings. I wish I could look at the clouds, pff, now I sound like Shikamaru. That's got to be the worst, thinking of looking at clouds while you're dying, thinking of Shikamaru while dying. I would be a nicer sight to die to then chaos though. The chaos just makes me feel like I didn't do anything substantial. Maybe I didn't. Not for this village, not for Sunagakure, not for Kakashi or Naruto and certainly not for Gaara. God, what good ever came out of me being Gaara's genie? To him I betrayed him, got myself banished and when I do come back it's the cowardly way as a guard who plays a hand in possibly starting a war among Suna and Konoha. I'm not even woman enough to tell him the truth and now I'm practically dead because of it. Why am I even still thinking, isn't that a sign of being alive? I must be dying too slowly. Yeah, that's got to be it. Well, I might as well make the best of this dying slowly thing with some actual substantial thoughts. Let's see, one, I wish that Naruto would become Hokage in the future. The near future mind you, we don't want him to be the seventh Hokage when he's like forty or something, that's already considered old in ninja time. Two, I wish for a speedy recovery for Lee, one where he can still pursue his ninja way. Three, I wish Kakashi the best in his life and that he can find someone to grow old and die together with. And finally four, I wish, no, I know Gaara will be happy soon. I just wish to have that happiness prolonged for as long as possible, because he needs it. Ha! Look, this whole entire list is filled with 'I wishes' how ironic. As if I could ever attain anything by saying "I wish".'

No one noticed Miyako's eyes finally slipping closed, and if they did, they didn't care.

G/M

Whoo, finally done. For those of you who are flipping out about our Miyako-chan's death all I have to say is…the story's not over yet.

And now a moment of silence to remember the fallen.

Silence, For, Acronym.


	13. Magic

A/N: So, now that I've finished all my papers for college, I have a month of free time, which means time to get some major writing done to make up for all those months I made you guys suffer! Sorry!

Firstly to the reviewers!

Victor: I love you man, your long winded review to me just affirmed that I was missed. I can't imagine a genie dying by simply getting stabbed either, which is why I think you'll be very pleased with the beginning of this chapter. As for the Kazekage thing I'll just tell you that yes, it will, because you might as well know now because it's not really much of a surprise.

Red X17: Only pretty good? Oh well, I'm still happy.

TMC-Yuki: Sorry to make you cry. If it's any consolation, I really like happy endings to, so expect one.

pitifuldreamer666: All will be revealed in this chapter, and thanks for reaffirming that I was missed.

Flatwaffles29: Waffles, how I missed you and your virtual hugs most of all! Hopefully this chapter will cheer you up!

REDRydingHood: I know it's a sad day for us all when our favorite genie dies, but fear not!

La: I'm always glad when I can make someone mentally happy dance. Did you know that that was my personal goal in life? Anyway, loved your review, happy that Miyako isn't a Mary-Sue, I would DIE if that happened, and that Gaara isn't OOC, at least not too much. And that's for that honest criticism, you rock!

Anyways, I missed you guys too. This chapter will be filled with a lot of sad sappiness and Miyako scheming but not so much magic, yeah, the title is really misleading I know. Also, I may tweak the plot of canon a little bit again to suit my purposes. I kind of just remembered that only Kankuro questions Gaara about his choice to become Kazekage and it wasn't really at night; it was when the sun was going down. I'm also pretty sure he doesn't just decide this a few episodes after the attack, but I can at least have him thinking about it can't I? Anyways…

Yoohoo, Disclaimer?!

Lion: -stares at SFA-

SFA: What?! The Disclaimer quit?! Why?

Lion: -stares at her as if she's a dummy-

SFA: I know I was gone for a long time but c'mon! Oh fine, could you be a dear and do the Disclaimer Lion?

Lion: -shakes head, points to Miyako-

SFA: Oh well, than Miyako?

Miyako: Hey, SFA doesn't own _Naruto_, just like I don't own any aspect of Gaara or his love. –Sad Sigh-

SFA: Anyways….

Magic

'Pretending to be dead really sucks.'

Panting, if one listened, was all that could be heard in the forests of Konoha, the uneven breaths breaking the calm of the night with vicious stabs mirroring the internal turmoil of the accused.

'Why oh why did Konoha decide that my life was worth something and hold a funeral in honor of my "brave and courageous sacrifice?" Don't they know that I am, in essence, a traitor through and through, to not only them but my own country? How can they celebrate the life of a traitor?!'

It crossed her mind that Naruto had something to do with it, and although normally that wouldn't mean much considering how the villagers thought of him, the fact that he had saved them and the entirety of the ninja community from certain death at the hands of her precious redhead had put him in their good graces.

'And while I appreciate Uzumaki Naruto with every fiber of my being and what he's done for my master I would've rather he'd have taken my traitorous actions harshly than mourn for my fake death along with the real deaths of several hundreds of Konoha ninja.'

It made Miyako feel awful and sickly thinking about it, but what was done was done. She was officially dead now and there was no way to take it back, at least not without severe and unwanted consequences.

'And besides it's better for everyone that it goes this way. Except of course me, but my mutinous feelings matter little in the grand scheme of things.'

The truth was: genies were rather easy to kill, if one knew where to look. Considering that few knew the ultimate weakness of a genie was their own prison, genies often got falsely pinned with titles of power and few genies were ready to correct the rumors. Another way to assure a genies death was to sap all belief from their master, like Miyako and Gaara's situation. It wouldn't provide instant results, more like a slow torturous death, and it was easy to remedy, unless you were Miyako who had warped logic. But rarely, if ever, can one kill a genie with physical attacks, even if they were fatal.

Had anyone been aware of what she actually was they would've called her on her fake by now and tracked her down, but seeing as no one did she was free to flee as she liked and live out her practically magic free slowing fading existence as she liked.

'Which is why I now have to reach Gaara on foot, that lightning attack and clone really took a lot more out of me than I originally expected, but I have enough to where I can grant Gaara's last two wishes as well as protect him, but nothing else. '

One might wonder why Miyako was going through this trouble at all. Why off yourself when you seemed to be getting somewhere with your closed off master? Especially after the Naruto-beating-some-sense-into-him fiasco that worked brilliantly?

'I couldn't stay; I couldn't even stay alive, not in Suna and definitely not in Konoha. Sure the ninja see the valor in my sacrifice _now_, but had I been alive they would've surely questioned me within an inch of my life, despite _anything_ that Naruto said, and punished me appropriately for my crimes, death, which would've gotten me in the same boat I am now except at a much slower pace. Had I went back to Suna I would've gone through the same process, no matter how reformed Gaara may have become, I doubt he would've gained consciousness soon enough to defend me should he have wanted to and I'd be interrogated, and punished for my crimes as not only a traitor, but as an _infiltrator _ and possibly a _spy_, all leading to death which also would've put me in the same boat at a much slower pace.'

Another voice could argue that _'this whole situation could've been avoided if you had just been straight out with Gaara in the first place.'_

'For what? So he could either A: Scoff in my face and attempt to kill me, therefore in a way killing _me,_ that is my purpose in life or B: Use my powers for unjust reasons such as, oh I don't know, a way for him to turn himself further into an unrecognizable monster? No, not happening.'

'_I think we can be honest with ourselves, you're just a masochist, you always have been and it hurts even more because you thought that Gaara at first was going to be different.' _

'Except I didn't ask for your advice on the matter so you can just shut up.'

Great, now the lack of human contact in the last two days was making her talk to herself, just what we all needed, an even crazier Miyako.

She felt when her clone was lowered into the ground, letting out a quiet breath of relief as she let it slowly disintegrate as she trekked farther out into the unknown terrain of Konoha.

'Hopefully no one decides to dig up my body in the next few days or weeks, or else I'm definitely going to be in some shit.'

G/M

Sneaking into the Sand Village undetected wasn't as hard as she'd feared it would be, there were guards posted of course, actually there were more guards than she'd originally seen leaving the Sand Village two months ago, but they apparently didn't register a chakra signature as weak as a mouse's as anything to check on. Which was good, more magic she'd have to use for more dire situations.

The first thing Miyako did once arriving in the night painted and slumbering Suna was paying her master a visit. Not that he knew about it or anything, but she'd wanted to see his progress for herself and well, just see _him_.

She didn't know why it was so easy to sneak her way to the Kazekage mansion, or why it was even easier to scale the side of said building without being detected. Honestly, you'd think these people would be a little more on edge after having just attacked another village; shouldn't they be fearful of a counter attack or something?

Nevertheless she managed to catch onto her master's signature easily, surprisingly not on the roof staring at the moon as per usual, but in his bedroom…with two other signatures…his brother and sister?

'Damn Naruto's good.'

"Gaara are you sure about this?" Kankuro, who sounded a bit wary.

'Now what could they be talking about?'

"Yes." Just hearing his voice had Miyako's unconscious worries about his safety calming.

"It's just that you've been acting strange since that fight with that blonde kid-" Temari, also sounding nervous.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Right, right, and it's not that we're not enjoying the new changes you've decided to make to your lifestyle it's just, trying for the Kazekage role, really?"

'What? Gaara wants to be Kazekage? That's fantastic!'

"You don't believe I can accomplish it?"

'No! What are you two doing, you're supposed to be encouraging him!' Miyako swore that if she were permitted to be alive she'd be berating the hell out of those two and assuring Gaara that he could accomplish anything he desired.

"No! We believe in you Gaara, it's just that the villagers and the council might be a harder challenge-"

"A challenge that I will accept, I am willing to work as hard as it takes to win back their trust and show them that I only wish to protect them."

Miyako's body jolted at the word "wish" but considered that since he'd only been using it as a verb in speech instead of an actual outright "I wish" scenario that it didn't count. She'd never cut corners like that with Gaara.

Temari and Kankuro seemed to be at a loss for words at that declaration if the silence permeating the atmosphere had anything to say about it.

"If you're sure about this, then you have our full support. We'll meet with the council to discuss it in the morning; until then try not to stress over it too much."

He said nothing and the siblings finally bid him goodnight before their presences were gone from the room and drifting slowly away.

Miyako stayed there, latched to the side of the building just under the open window where their words could be heard softly through the light blowing of the wind, waiting for her master to do something even she herself was unaware of. The instinct to stay was just strong and so she waited expectantly.

What might have felt like forever for some felt like only minutes to Miyako when her master finally let out an exhale of his stress, his presence now hanging just above her as he stared out of the open window at the moon.

"I wish they would just give me a chance."

It was silent, almost nonexistent, clearly meant to be heard by no other soul save for his own ears. But Miyako heard it, as she always would.

'So you wish it my master so it shall be.' Was the mantra in her head as she lightly dropped down close to the buildings side and into the streets, blending easily with the night.

G/M

The second thing Miyako did when she arrived in Suna was to give herself a makeover.

She couldn't very well walk around as herself, by now she figured they would've heard of her death and if they hadn't they'd still pursue her until they caught her and dragged her off to the process leading to death.

Unfortunately she couldn't just change her appearance with a simple snap of her fingers anymore, what the lack of magic will do to a person, and so she had to do it the hard and almost permanent way.

'Why is it so surprisingly simple to break into places?' She wondered as she crept along in the dark of a ANBU facility, a bundle of scissors, hair dye and various new outfits tucked under her arm.

'Still I need to be quick, this place isn't a clothing store or a beauty palor, this is an ANBU facility that has tons of guards just lurking around waiting for some idiot like me to slip up and do something stupid.'

Night vision was easy to spell up upon arriving at her desired location, the equipment room. She snatched up an ANBU regulation uniform, two pairs, shin, elbow, chest and knee guards, two Katanas, a cloak and then finally she was faced with the decision of the mask.

'Now, what mask should I pick? It has to have meaning while at the same time being badass so that all will tremble in their boots at the mere sight of it approaching.'

Overdramatic, but necessary, another draw back to being robbed of magic is the need to substitute that crutch used for everything; that includes intimidation and so a subtly scary mask and some serious physical training were the only factors available to her.

A mask with dark rings around the eyes caught her attention, and she grinned broadly at the thought of Gaara's reaction when he met "Raccoon".

She almost couldn't wait.

G/M

Gaara would be up early, but Gaara was considerate and so would wait until his siblings were coherent enough to help him with his arguments to go and face the council.

That gave Miyako just enough time to put her plan into action.

Step 1: Break into the prep meeting for the upcoming council meeting beforehand.

Ignoring the shrieks and shouts of surprise her sudden arrival had brought on, Miyako calmly stepped towards the center of the room, having fazed herself through one of the walls.

She spoke when the elder council members were starting to hop up and call for assistance and the younger council members had drawn their weapons.

Step 2: Hypnotize the council into a state of calm.

"Silence." And all grew quiet as her eyes radiated a purple glow that had the members looking mesmerized.

"Be seated, this council session has now begun." She spoke to the head male councilmen and he repeated her words as if he were an echo.

They all sat.

Step 3: Make them think every idea you present is their own.

"Today we are here to discuss the candidacy for Kazekage." The voices spoke as one.

"But more importantly we are here to weed out the bad from the good." And she picked their brains until she had weeded it down to only three, two she did not care to remember and her precious master.

Step 4: For a more realistic memory let them argue about it.

"Sabaku No Gaara cannot be Kazekage!" An elder woman shouted.

"I refuse to believe that he has changed so drastically over the course of a few short days!" Another from across the room agreed.

"I think he may be capable of change." A younger female councilmember argued.

"But should we trust him so easily? Could this not just be a plot waiting to unfold?" One beside her tittered nervously.

Miyako directed her gaze back to the head, figuring that was enough argument aloud that needed to be done, the rest could just be implanted in their heads.

"A good point she makes, and I agree, which is why I say we let him run-"

Miyako allowed shouts of protest.

"But, he must prove himself ready for this station and that he has truly changed, which is why I will have an ANBU guard instated around him at all times watching: protecting the people from him and him from the people."

That statement, she would admit, was not just from picking the brains of council members and it wasn't just said to sound more realistic.

In truth Miyako had done it for two reasons, one to carry out her plan of implanting herself at his side once again and in a station similar and two because she felt that she had to test him to see the extent of his change… or if he had really changed at all.

"And as for the ANBU guard," they both continued, "I am inserting Raccoon as leader of his platoon."

That called for a back story, lots of false memories of training among other things but in the end it would all work out, no matter how dead tired she was by the time she made them say:

"Meeting adjourned."

G/M

Gaara was…surprised.

They had only been in the council chambers for ten minutes, at which time he had made his speech, his brother and sister adding in their points and good words, only to find that the council…agreed…with everything.

"We have already discussed your request to run for the office Gaara-san." The head councilmen had revealed at the siblings unguarded surprised looks.

Temari bounced back the fastest, her face morphing back into all-business mode when she asked: "And what have you decided?"

"In order for us to allow you to run, we have made some stipulations." An elderly woman's voice called from across the room.

"Name them." Gaara hid his eager feelings easily, he was being given a chance after all!

"We will require you to have an ANBU team at all times, out in public and watching in private, starting today if you agree."

Temari looked as if she would argue, something about privacy being violated not being fair, even if Gaara didn't totally deserve privacy anymore, but Gaara beat her to the punch.

"I accept."

And his tone left no room for argument; Temari knew when it was her time to be silent.

"Very well, this is your lead and personal ANBU guard Raccoon, she will be visible in public at all times to guard Sunagakure from you and you from Sunagakure." He motioned to the guard with his hand, who stood tall and stoically near the entrance flanked by three other ANBU in Weasel, Cat and Fox masks.

She bowed once in recognition and straightened up in quick succession, stiffly awaiting other orders.

"I understand." Gaara replied after analyzing the four guards briefly.

"Good, then you understand that should you mess up and revert back into your old ways, even once, you will be kicked off this campaign and not only will you never be able to hold office in Sunagakure higher than Genin, you will earn the hatred of the people of Suna for the rest of your life."

Gaara looked dispassionately up at the head councilmen from under his eyelashes as Kankuro and Temari clenched their fists, the urge to defend their newly reformed brother high.

"I understand."

G/M

When the meeting was dismissed Miyako was to follow, though she wasn't sure how she would manage that, hell, she hardly even understood how she could still stand on her own two feet right about now.

Not only had she implanted false memories of her fake life, her fake training and a fake meeting into the councilmen's heads, she'd also had to implant false memories of training, a graduation ceremony and life into the other Suna ANBU's heads. That took a lot of magic, a lot of magic that she really didn't have to spare and so everything through the dark ringed obstructive mask looked as if it were swimming all around her. Bowing was the toughest, because that floor just looked so inviting and she was sure that if she just took a little rest she'd be all better, and no one would be too freaked out at her sudden faint, right?

Luckily common sense was still with her as she straightened and finally left with the other three ANBU and her master after having discussed his political strategy.

It had been decided that Temari and Kankuro should be his political advisors, mostly Temari because she was better in the area of politics than her brother, but Kankuro made it very clear that he would protect Gaara from the village _and_ from them should they attempt to betray him.

The accusation stung, but she and her ANBU partners said nothing in response only acknowledging his statement with stoic nods.

Kankuro continued to grumble his thoughts, saying something loudly about how he didn't like the thought of Gaara having ANBU to protect the village anyway, and that they had nothing to fear from him anymore.

"But they can't go anywhere, they're needed to protect Gaara when we can't be around and the thought of that makes me feel better about their presence." Kankuro sighed dejectedly.

"Don't be like that Kankuro, think of them as personal guards to Gaara, just like-"

Temari stopped in her speech, suddenly looking downtrodden as she looked guiltily at a now just as guilty looking Kankuro.

"Miyako." Kankuro mumbled pathetically.

Miyako did well hiding her perk of interest, only slightly tilting her head in the direction of the siblings in front of her, eager to catch any thoughts about her.

Temari stiffened, biting her lip, though Miyako couldn't see, guiltily, "I feel bad for leaving her there now. The mission took hold of any common sense and now…she's gone."

"You don't think she's…well you know?" Kankuro was just as guilt-ridden, rubbing his arm and drifting his gaze back and forth from Temari to Gaara.

"Well she hasn't come back, so we can only assume the worst-"

"Excuse me for interrupting." Cat, the only other female in the group besides Miyako interjected, her mask's Cheshire grin unnerving Miyako for some distinct reason.

Temari turned round to her, glaring. "What is it?"

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, excuse me for eavesdropping, but I hadn't heard of this Maki Miyako until she became Gaara-san's guard, why is that?"

Miyako now understood why Cat gave her the unnerved feeling, because Cat was apparently curious, and not in an innocent way as she would've liked to come off.

And just who did she think she was calling Gaara, with whom she barely knew, _Gaara_, albeit she called him san appropriately, but still!

"Cat." Fox, who was beside her, hissed slightly, but Miyako could feel that the girl was unrepentant as she awaited an answer.

"What are you suggesting Cat?" Kankuro didn't sound too pleased, which sent a shot of gratitude into Miyako's heart. They were defending her!

"I just thought it interesting that I'd never met Miyako-san seeing as I'd been a Jounin around the same time as she and so I was wondering how such a young prodigy could have escaped my sight."

Temari, who Miyako was sure would never pass up a chance to accuse Miyako of something, whipped around suddenly, making the four of them stop in their tracks as she glared them all down.

"_Maki-san _was only a Jounin for a year before she was assigned this task Cat." Miyako had to hold back a grin at the way she spit the word Cat. "And from what I've known of her the Kazekage liked to utilize her incredible skills for more difficult missions, hence why she was allowed to protect my brother and she did a damn good job of it to, I only wish that I had thanked her for it!"

Miyako felt like crying at this revelation, Temari had thought she had done a good job of protecting Gaara, really? She felt regret towards not thanking her enough? She acknowledged her skills?!

Miyako thought that surely she would faint any second, not so much from exhaustion anymore- though that weighed heavily on her back in burden, but purely out of shock.

"Thanked her for what? Betraying Suna? If you've forgotten, we found your father's dead body buried in Sand and determined that he had been dead for at least three months, meaning that Orochimaru was posing as your father and ordering Miyako around for the last three months! How could she not have known if she was as close to the Kazekage as you claim that he wasn't the real thing unless she was working for him!"

"Cat that's not fair, no one was able to tell until it was revealed to us, how could you expect Maki-san to tell when the more experienced Jounin and even ANBU couldn't?" Fox defended quietly.

"She was the supposed prodigy who no one had ever seen or heard of except the Kazekage as she claims, but I'm sure if corpses could talk we'd know for sure that she was nothing but a spy! Whatever Konoha has done to her she deserves!"

Miyako could see that Cat was pushing nerves with Kankuro and Temari, not a good sign with their sudden overprotectiveness of her former image, but she just couldn't seem to make her weak and shocked body move into response. No, she wasn't really angered at the speech, because after all everything that Cat was throwing at them was true, questions that they really should've considered themselves but had apparently been too sucked into her charm to care about, and that sent her into an even dizzier thought process. Why weren't they agreeing with Cat, why were they even defending her?

"Enough."

Kankuro and Temari froze, casting their eyes to the hardened sea foam of Sabaku No Gaara, whose very voice sent his faithful genie into fits of hormone induced shivers.

"You will speak no more of Maki Miyako, neither good nor bad, for she deserves to rest in peace for her great sacrifice in choosing to not only guard me in my mindless state of bloodlust, but for her sacrifice in choosing to betray Suna and protect the ones she cares about despite the fact that they no longer trusted her as they once did. She always had good judgment and that day was no exception, the fact that she saw through Orochimaru and not only managed to protect the citizens of Konoha but also help knock sense into me with the help of Uzumaki Naruto will have me forever in her debt, they are the ones who helped to push me to learn what it truly means to be alive."

With that Gaara turned right around and continued to walk calmly as if he had not just blown Miyako and everyone else's worlds into itty bitty pieces. For Miyako just the fact that he took the time to say so many words was mind blowing enough, but the content in those words? She literally had to hold onto a nearby pole just so she wouldn't actually faint this time in sheer joy and overall shock.

She had not known that she had meant so much to Gaara and that he attributed his changes to her constant spiels about how he could do so much better. She had thought that those talks had gone into one of his ears and out the other; she had thought that the real hero was Naruto. She still did think the real hero was Naruto, but perhaps she had made a difference in continuing to assure him that to her he wasn't the monster everyone thought him to be…that some people still thought him to be.

She just wanted to blow cover and hug him until he fainted of shock, and maybe kiss him senseless a couple of times, but she would have to be way out of it to pull up that kind of courage.

True to their word though, no one spoke anything about her the whole entire way back to the Kazekage mansion.

Temari instructed that the four of them were to meet back there at precisely eight in the morning to go over the formations and plans for Gaara's first tour around Suna in his campaign to win the hearts of all of the villagers.

They had nodded in sync before Temari bid them dismissed, but Miyako stayed stubbornly behind.

"Is there something you needed, Raccoon?" She was gruff with her, shooting looks to the mansion where Kankuro and Gaara had already taken refuge.

Raccoon bowed, "I apologize for my subordinate's behavior Temari-san, I did not know that the mention of the Suna guard would anger the three of you so and I only allowed Cat to speak her mind because I too had doubts about the girl and only wished to see that she had gathered no secrets from you three, but if it troubles you I will speak with her, no, all of them and make it very clear that the subject is no longer to be breeched."

It was really hard for Miyako to place suspicion about herself, but it looked natural and professional and it was the only excuse she could come up with in explanation for her lack of action in stopping Cat. All Miyako really wanted to do was rip off her mask, hug the three siblings, explain everything right down from the beginning to them and try her hardest to make them believe it.

"Good." Temari said shortly, but then sighed as Raccoon straightened up and stiffly awaited orders. "Thank you Raccoon." She whispered, though Raccoon gave no hint of anger at her snappish tone.

"If Sabaku-san wishes to stay in then I will take my leave now, unless you require something else of me?"

"No, that's all Raccoon, you're dismissed."

Raccoon bowed once more before "poofing" away.

The girl observed from a rooftop as Temari hurried inside and silently scaled down her appointed building, shrinking down her now tangible and detectable chakra so she could properly spy on the siblings.

G/M

"Gaara."

Said sea foam eyed boy did not physically acknowledge the call, but the siblings knew he was listening, apparently he always had been.

"Gaara…we're sorry."

Gaara's back tensed as he watched the sun set to noon, but he did nothing else to let on to his true emotions, simply gazed at the burning ball of fire steadfastly.

"We…didn't think…it was too soon to bring Miyako up."

When he said nothing the siblings plowed on, not knowing what else to do in a situation like this. They needed their brother to know that they were here for him, that they would try to be better siblings because he was trying to be a better person and that he wasn't alone in this fight.

"If…you want to talk about it we're here." Kankuro suggested in an awkward murmur, looking to his sister for help when Gaara still showed no indication of wanting to anything except stare at the sun. Was staring at the sun some sort of self-punishment or did he simply not know that it was detrimental to his eyesight?

Sometimes they still didn't understand their brother, especially recently.

"Gaara, I, no we think you need to talk about it." Temari as usual demanded, but in a softer, gentler voice than the usual rough grunt many were used to.

"No."

That they understood, in fact they unconsciously winced at the response, visions of the old days they wished would continue to be old flashing by their eyes.

The two frowned. "Why Gaara?" Temari pried gently.

"I've said all I needed to say about Miyako."

"Gaara that's what's troubling us, we don't think that you have, that speech you made was…surprising. We always knew that Miyako was more of your guard than she was ours, but we never realized the magnitude of the relationship you two held, and you haven't said a word about her…disappearance until today, where we realized just how great."

"Miyako and I never had any sort of the relationship that you are suggesting-"

"It sure sounded that way, or could it be from the lack of the relationship that you two held that's got you so troubled? Is the reason that you don't want to say anything else is because she's gone, and you regret not being able to show her your change yourself?" Kankuro accused.

Gaara's rigid back was the only sign that everything that they were saying hit home, he never turned, he made no sound of agreement or disagreement; he just continued to let the sun burn his eyes.

"Say something." Temari bid softly.

"I don't want to talk about this."

The two sighed simultaneously, one thing was constant: their brother was still as closed off about his emotions as ever the only silver lining to this set back was that they could rest assured that those emotions were not ones of violence.

"Very well."

"But know that if you change your mind we're here and we'll listen, you're not the only one filled with regrets about Miyako, Gaara."

Then they left him to himself, where he continued to stare at the sun wistfully and wish that he could have no cares in his life, where he could be that source of heat and light and his only responsibility was to rise and fall every day.

And he would keep telling himself that it was because of the sun that he was crying silently, after all staring at it wasn't good for his eyesight.

G/M

Miyako couldn't decide whether to be overjoyed or depressed.

Certainly her Raccoon masked face wasn't radiating either emotion as she stood guard near the elaborate stage set up for the day's festivities, but her mind was swimming with the thoughts and words of Sabaku no Gaara's inadvertent confessions of his true feelings to her.

They weren't of love, hell she still didn't know what Kankuro had meant when he'd said that Gaara might've regretted the "lack of the relationship" she and Gaara could've held, but they weren't of hatred either, in fact they sounded like he had started to tolerate and almost like her presence, if only she hadn't died before they could truly get to know each other.

'I've got to focus.' She chastised herself in her head, 'this day is important.'

This day was the announcement of the "Campaign of the Kazekage" where the head councilmen- whose name she had still not bothered to learn- would announce the people running for the office of Kazekage, the candidates would each give a speech of sorts to the gathered crowd of villagers and Shinobi alike and then be released out to mingle where they would listen to the concerns, answer questions or just chat with the villagers, under heavy guard supervision of course.

Gaara of course needed a full platoon of ANBU to watch out for him from all sides plus the added bonus of his brother and sister though they would also be busy with their own crowds. Miyako had a feeling that this day would be an eventful one, though she prayed not in the way that was making her stomach drop down to her toes.

G/M

So far so good.

Well, aside from that one violent villager that had attempted to throw rotten fruit at her precious master, exclaiming that he had a right to be treated that way as the other ANBU had dragged him away.

It was a good thing too, because if they had let Raccoon deal with him things would not have been pretty.

But now Gaara was out mingling and things seemed to be going as well as things could be when the village's former "monster" was running for office.

True, they still shied away from him, hid their children, only spoke a few short sentences in the face of his kindness and shivered whenever his eyes even landed on them, but it was a start, at least no one else was attacking-

Wait a second.

She almost didn't detect him, he was weaving in and out of people at what seemed to be a leisurely brisk pace a few feet away from them, but the fact was: her eyes could detect the killer intent; could see the glint of the blade in the blinding sunshine and that he was picking up speed, a speed that had her sweating at the comparison to Sasuke and Lee's own.

But she wouldn't worry too much; Cat would surely detect him and defend as she was supposed to for he was racing to Gaara on Cat's side of him, so surely if Miyako could detect him, Cat could.

Cat did detect something, but it was not the major threat about to happen, no, she broke position because a child had held up a rock in a position to throw it and she had decided to apprehend the child directly herself, leaving Gaara's unaware side all open.

Thank God Miyako was good at making split second decisions.

The sound of metal on metal had the nearby villagers shrieking and backing up in fear as blades clashed, sparks flying heavily.

Before even Miyako herself could comprehend, she had taken the assassin's momentary surprise to kick him in the jaw, his grip loosening on the handle of his blade that she quickly relieved him of as he fell.

Adrenaline and confusion rushed through her veins as she held the two blades in an x shape around his neck, the sharp edges biting into the fragile skin of his neck and pricking teeny drops of red to contrast the blanched tone of his skin.

She knew she must've looked and felt menacing to the villagers around her, what with the expressionless Raccoon mask and the killer aura radiating off of her in waves, but all she could think about was how the hell she had reacted so fast to his oncoming threat, and when she'd suddenly developed adequate Taijutsu in such a short time. Sure she had been practicing nonstop since she'd arrived and set her mind to protecting Gaara without her magic, but she doubted she'd picked up the amount of experience it took to react almost as fast as Lee to a situation and counter it in such a style.

No something else was at work, but she had no time to ponder on it now.

Kankuro had since reacted, immobilizing the foe with his chakra strings, and Temari looked just as stirred up with her hand on her fan and her eyes in a glare.

"Why did you stop me, I was so close! I could've rid the world of that abomination once and for all and everyone would be safe and happy!"

Confusion no longer played a part in her emotions; it was instead replaced with a blinding rage that had her tightening the grip on the blades and pushing them threateningly into the skin of the man, hoping to choke off his words once and for all.

Alas he continued to speak. "You are entrapped by your duty, but you know that what that creature speaks is lies! He has not changed; he cannot, for he is the Shukaku! So let me rid Sunagakure of the burden that is that _monster_!"

Red. That's all that Miyako could see, she could guess that her aura spoke the volumes that her face didn't, add to that the actions of her Katanas slowly piercing more and more skin of that weak little neck and all could possibly tell that she had lost it.

The touch of a soothing hand cooled over the rage.

"Let him go."

At the sound of his voice the red film over her eyes melted just as her insides did whenever he graced her ears with its beauty and she could do nothing but sigh in dreamy wonder disguised as defeat and drop her swords, but not without first striking him, hard, across the temple with the hilt.

"Take this attempted assassin to be dealt with by the council!" She hollered demandingly only hastening fellow ANBU to follow her orders.

She mourned at the loss of her master's hand but rewarded herself with his emotion-veiled sea foam eyes to tell him just exactly what she thought of his honorable decision.

"I can't guarantee that you'll ever see his face again."

G/M

"Thank you Raccoon."

After dropping Gaara and his siblings home in the Kazekage mansion, Temari had managed to floor Miyako again with sincere words of thanks.

"There is no need to thank me Temari-san, I was simply doing my duty."

"I know, but I also know that it must've been hard for you to make yourself lunge in front of my brother like that and that you had to agree with some of the words that the assassin spoke-"

"No."

The disagreement was almost too quick, and she realized with a small wince that it sounded like a Miyako disagreement.

"Sabaku-san is whoever Sabaku-san wishes to be and if Sabaku-san wishes to no longer be the monster that the assassin spoke of, than he is no longer the monster that the assassin spoke of. He is simply Sabaku-san."

That answer also sounded like a Miyako answer, though making herself refer to Gaara as a monster was unfathomable to the old Miyako, and as it was now she was having a hard time believing that she had just referred to him as a monster without breaking down or muting the word.

Temari smiled at her then, a big, relieved smile that had Miyako wanting to check her forehead for a temperature.

"That's a refreshing outlook you have there Raccoon, thank you again."

"Your thanks is a little refreshing as well, perhaps I will try to share my opinions more often if it gets me your gratitude." She joked dryly.

Temari actually threw back her head and laughed, and had Miyako thinking how many times she'd get floored in the next few months.

G/M

Miyako would've liked nothing more than to chop the would-be assassin's head off as soon as she was dismissed from the festivities of the Kazekage Campaign, but she unfortunately had to do this carefully.

If it was heard that one of Gaara's ANBU guards had personally killed in his name people would distrust him and assume he was fulfilling his bloodlust through other means. It needed to be decided by the council that death was the assassin's punishment, and if that death just so happened to be administered by her than…

Much like when she'd "convinced" them to allow Gaara's campaign; she materialized in the council room yet again, only this time in the midst of discussion.

"It was only one assassin!"

"One attempted assassin mind you!"

"I agree, and besides Raccoon did her job in stopping him, that negates the option of death for me-"

"No." Her voice interrupted, and as soon as the council members whipped heads to look at the interruption they were again under her hypnosis spell, eyes filmed over with a purple glow similar to her own.

"He must die; this sets an example to the people that we will not tolerate any disrespect to any of the candidates." She made a younger council member across the room say.

"But they might take it as favoritism."

"They will not question their council, this matter shall be handled publicly, we will explain our reasoning and they will come to terms with it."

"Are we all in agreement then? Death of the attempted assassin?"

"I."

"And who will commit the task?"

Miyako grinned a little maliciously as she made the head councilmen say:

"Well Raccoon of course, she is the logical choice, as she is head of Sabaku no Gaara's ANBU squadron."

"It might be good for her to get her hands dirty as well, really push her out into the ANBU world."

"Then we all agree?"

Miyako turned from her previous seat perched on the desk beside the head councilmen, voicing her approval along with the other several councilmembers as she fazed back out into the cold Suna night.

"I."

G/M

Miyako didn't care if her uniform was a little covered in blood as she made her way down into the ANBU training room.

In fact, she grinned sadistically, it only heightened the image she was hoping to put forth and would certainly only make the scene about to unfold better.

If it was possible the grin on her face only widened as she rounded the corner.

Good, she was still here.

"Cat."

A brown haired, brown eyed average looking female turned her head from the doll she was sparring with to acknowledge the call of her name, only to be pushed up harshly against the matted wall by an elbow to her throat and a body melded harshly against hers.

"What the hell was that earlier?"

Brown eyes were wide at the still calm tone of the individual in front of her.

"I-I didn't," she paused to wheeze, "see him."

"Funny how you didn't see or sense something that was coming _right at you_ and yet I managed to sense and see him when he was a yard away."

Cat grinned, she _actually grinned_ , a Cheshire grin right in Miyako's face.

"Well then good for you."

If it was possible Miyako pushed her harder into the cushions making her gasp and wince.

"It's also _funny_ how you managed to move out the way just as the attempted assassin reached Gaara, isn't it?"

Cat coughed but still somehow managed a grin.

So Miyako just couldn't help but to wipe it off.

Cat coughed blood onto Miyako's sleeve, clenching her teeth angrily as scarlet dripped down from her gums.

"Next time you pull some shit like that there won't be a next time." She promised coldly and dropped Cat to the floor without remorse.

As she was exiting, she heard Cat's gasp at the state of her uniform, her guards containing blood that wasn't her own.

"They let you do it?" She whispered softly.

And Miyako just had to turn around and rub her face in it.

"Of course they did."

G/M

**Ta-da! How do you like it? Hopefully I can get a few more chapters out like this at least once a week like I was before, maybe giving you guy's two chapters a week to compensate for last week?  
As long as I get your love back my dear readers, I don't care what I have to do! **

**Well, until the next one! **

**Something, Fishy Acronym. **


	14. Nothing Stays The Same

A/N: Hey guys! Couple of things to mention about this chapter!

1: It's the Sasuke Retrieval Arc! Yayayayaya~! Not.

2: Did I mention that the story will sort of stick to canon from now on? Yea, no more high school for our favorite characters because, well, Gaara don't need to go to high school, he's gon be the Kazekage!

3: If anybody happened to like Cat from the last chapter…I apologize in advance.

4: As always I tweaked canon a little bit to fit my preferences. But you guys are okay with it as usual, right?

5: The italicized print in the thought quotations is the overlay of what Miyako (Raccoon) is telling the council, the regular print is her remembering what actually happened and the details that she's _not_ telling them .

Forgive my country speak above. Alright, reviewer appreciation time!

Shyna: Sorry I didn't add you in my last reviewer love session, I was just so pumped to get chapter 13 out that I forgot to add you in! Anyway, is this fast enough for you? I'll try to increase my typing powers to the speed of light! Lol. I also appreciate your love, it has been put in my love box for me to cuddle with when I'm lacking review fuel.

RedX17: You were like my first reviewer for this chapter at like two in the morning. That's what real love is about right there, being so excited for a TWT chapter that you immediately must read it at two in the morning. Much love back to you my friend.

Victor: I know! I'm sure no one saw Miyako's death being faked coming, except me of course, and you we're all so sad. Here comes some Kimimaro vs. Gaara action, from the storyline of Gaara by the by.

REDRydingHood: Miyako says thanks for thinking she's cool and that your squeal of delight warms her insides. Lol.

Flatwaffles29: Interesting concept you've come up with there with the whole Miyako took Gaara's bad and put it inside herself deal. Please don't send yourself to an Asylum, because Chapter 14 is here!

Anyway!

Oh disclaimer!

Disclaimer: You know what SFA wants for Christmas? To own _Naruto_ and also a car, but you know what? She's not getting either of those things because her parents aren't rich and Masashi Kishimoto just won't give up one of the top watched anime's to some crazy college girl.

SFA: Thanks. Fathead. Anyway…

On with the story

Nothing Stays the Same

The councilmembers were busy chatting about Gaara's recent progress this last week, when Raccoon suddenly appeared inside the council room her uniform bloody and her aura radiating anger.

The members were about to berate the girl for her insolence, when she wordlessly threw a white object in the middle of the council table, drawing curious eyes.

It was a bloody Cat mask.

To be specific Cat's bloody Cheshire grinning Cat mask.

"You didn't." The head councilmen gaped, his eyes swinging back and forth between the Cat and Raccoon masks.

"It shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement, she was of average height, 5'5'' I believe, with brown hair, which is common in Suna, her eye color doesn't need to be precise but I'm sure it won't be hard to find someone with brown hair who also has brown eyes-"

"Raccoon I demand explanation, what is the meaning of this?!" The head councilmen interrupted, standing straight up.

"She was warned what would happen if she attempted murder against Sabaku-san again, I only fulfilled my promise."

"Cat attempted to murder Gaara-san? Why?" An elder councilwoman across the room sounded disbelieving.

"Why else? She let her petty opinions and feelings cloud her judgment, and those who take action on that clouded judgment only deserve her punishment, death. I'm just sorry that I couldn't make her feel the pain she caused Sabaku-san."

It didn't matter much that she didn't sound like a professional ANBU right now, nor did it matter that she sounded like Miyako right now, all that mattered was the still seething rage she held for the numerous disbelieving villagers of Sunagakure.

Gaara had not lifted one finger against them, had not said one thing to provoke anger in them, had been doing his hardest to show them his changes, and yet still some chose to remain purposely blind to the monster that they themselves had created who was now trying to prove more than ever that he had overcome the turmoil that they'd caused; that he was actively fighting against the monster inside.

"Why did you not come to us first with this information, you had no right to do as you did to Cat, she is our responsibility and as such should have been dealt with by us-"

"So you could speculate whether she deserved the punishment meant for her or not?! And while you did, she would've struck again and possibly been successful this second time! Do you know how close she was to succeeding? What would've happened had I not been there!"

So angered by the appalled faces of the council was Miyako that she couldn't stand to look at them any longer and so turned to face the wall while she composed herself. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had to yell like that, she couldn't even recall her spats with Baki getting that heated.

"You said to the people of Sunagakure that you would not tolerate any disrespect to any of your candidates, and that included the death of all attempted assassins and so I thought that I was going to be through with arguing with the Council about such matters. The intent in your statement was clear, I would deal with all attempted assassins quietly and out of the public eye. So why are you objecting so harshly when I simply have done as you've asked?"

"The Council does not like to be in the dark Raccoon, you should have informed us of this treachery first, and then we would have gladly handed Cat over to you to be dealt with."

Miyako had since then cooled, and realized that she couldn't very well sit here and argue this topic with the council, they were all stubborn.

"I apologize." She turned and bowed stiffly to the council, "I only struck because I did not want her to gain another opportunity to strike again."

'And because I've hated that rude and vile bitch since the first day I met her.' Those thoughts could stay in her head though.

"What is this about you wanting to replace Cat with an identical woman?" The Head Councilmen inquired as Miyako placed herself back in the line of the council's sight.

"We don't need Sabaku-san thinking that he cannot trust even his own security detail, and so to avoid any nasty consequences that may arise I suggest we keep this death between us and keep Sabaku-san in blissful ignorance."

"Gaara-san is a big boy Raccoon." An elder man snorted somewhere beside her. "I think he already knows that few really trust his intentions."

"I don't doubt that he does, but the suggestion was less for Sabaku-san and more for his siblings." At their confused stares she elaborated with an unseen eye roll. "If Temari-san and Kankuro-san were to find out not only that Cat attempted to betray Sabaku-san but that there was a struggle between Cat and I ending in her death, they'd begin to question the trustworthiness of everyone, me, Weasel, Fox; The Council." She grinned as looks of realization crossed their faces.

"And who knows how they'd react to it? They might not let any of us anywhere near Sabaku-san…ever again."

The Council looked frightful of this outcome and the head councilmen even rubbed his head in agitation with a groan.

"How did this even happen? Please tell me you followed the correct procedures?"

Raccoon sighed as she retold the story.

G/M

'_As you know, Sabaku-san did one of his usual walk-arounds again yesterday_.'

Gaara, with his siblings flanking his sides and Raccoon walking calming behind him, was making his way slowly around the epicenter of Suna, greeting bizarre shoppers and occasionally lending a hand to those in need of assistance with his own two hands.

'_I was of course in the public eye of Gaara's defense, while Cat, Weasel and Fox were in a triangular formation on the rooftops.'_

Temari and Kankuro occasionally paused to discuss something with friends sparse among the crowds but rarely left their position for long before rushing back to Gaara's side.

Raccoon of course was keeping a constant vigilant lookout for anyone stupid enough to try and worm their way past the three man defense.

The sun was shining brightly down upon the citizens of Sunagakure, making many watch Gaara's presence from the small overhanging shadows of the booths, but none looked threatening, just wary. This wariness was expected and welcomed for Raccoon, as long as none dared to take threatening action she was just fine with their still lingering distrust.

'_It was a mostly peaceful and quiet day, as all the others had been.'_

'They're learning, thankfully, at this rate I might become obsolete, not that I mind the thought too much as long as Gaara is safe and happy.'

'_Then a man collapsed near Gaara and being as he is now, he immediately rushed forth to help along with his siblings.'_

Just as it looked like it was going to be another uneventful day, a man suddenly collapsed near Gaara; sending the team immediately into action.

Raccoon was the only one amongst Gaara and his siblings not surging to understand the sudden collapsing and get the man to a hospital, as she was too busy searching for any possible outside catalysts that could've caused this sudden disturbance.

'_I looked for anything suspicious around as they were taking the man to the hospital.'_

No one could say that she didn't take her job seriously.

'_Then there was a kunai whizzing towards Sabaku-san as he went to take the man away…'_

As Gaara was hauling the man up with Kankuro's help, his torso facing the direction of the hospital to tow him away, Raccoon felt the prickling sensation of danger crawl up her spine that translated itself into a fast approaching kunai aimed with direct precision at Gaara's heart.

'_I tracked it to Cat's general vicinity and so I figured at first that she must've been fighting an enemy…'_

Before the kunai even had a prayer of hitting her precious charge she had fisted it and was tracking its trajectory to…

Cat's appointed rooftop.

'If she knows what's good for her she had better be fighting an enemy.'

Raccoon wasn't stupid, although Cat didn't show it, she obviously had less than fuzzy feelings for Gaara, it had been made obvious the very way she treated he and his siblings and the incident of the announcement of his campaign that had brought that to Raccoon's attention. Unfortunately she didn't have the time to verify if it was or wasn't an enemy, there were too many risks involved now that _someone_ was attacking Gaara to track down whoever it was, she'd have to trust that Fox and Weasel could handle it, that is if they weren't in on it too.

'_I didn't apprehend the enemy at that time, because I was still unaware of who it could possibly be and because Sabaku-san was being targeted, again, I was of course responsible for his safety and made sure to watch his back and keep him unaware of these transgressions.'_

She followed the swiftly moving sand cloud from the rooftops, although it was floating low enough for the villagers to spot the unconscious man.

Raccoon was pleased to find that Temari and Kankuro were on high alert as they followed on foot, not because they had seen or sensed the kunai, Raccoon had made sure of that, but because that's just the kind of siblings they were becoming.

In her jumps Raccoon saw no hid or hair of the grinning Cheshire Cat, but to be fair she didn't see Weasel or Fox either, and figured that they were also unaware of what had happened in Cat's general vicinity.

'But if Cat was being attacked, why wouldn't they sense it and attempt to apprehend?"

'_I was suspicious, but as I said before I had no time to devote to suspicions that had no solid proof, the matter would just have to be dealt with later. And so I followed Sabaku-san to the hospital.' _

The man was speedily admitted and Gaara was allowed to go up with him flanked by his siblings though they were not allowed to crowd into the room. Raccoon had to hide a smile from her aura at the genuinely worried face of her master to instead take post outside the man's window and watch for any signs of threat.

It was almost too tranquil as the sun continued to beat down on Suna, as if the real trouble wasn't going to surface until she least expected it, in a form that she least expected it.

Oh how right she was.

'_The attempted assassin used another kunai, except this one was different…'_

The attempting assassin must've been quite a boring individual to only resort to kunais from afar, and Raccoon couldn't help but sneer behind her mask as she caught the kunai once again skillfully between her fingers.

'They could have at least given me a flurry of kunai to work with, what a poorly trained assassin-'

A sudden hard downward motion of her hand and the sharp pang of a sharp tip entering straight through the flesh just below her collarbone had her reassessing her previous thoughts.

'_This kunai seemed to be charged with a jutsu that almost acted like a remote control; the ability to aim your kunai from a certain distance with only a thought it seems.' _

The resistance lessened thankfully upon impact to where she could just yank it out with a hiss and wonder idly just where the hell her team was when she needed them taking care of such an important situation.

'They're all going to get an earful when this is over.'

She analyzed the kunai with narrowed eyes. The weapon didn't seem to be special, besides its apparent desire to bury itself into flesh at whatever cost, but aside from this small factor it appeared on the outside to be a normal kunai.

'That means jutsu, but that's where this would-be assassin slips up.'

'_I attempted to trace this jutsu and its chakra trail to its owner; did you know every jutsu leaves a chakra trail if only you know what to spot? Nevertheless it wasn't successful.' _

Impossible! How did the assassin manage to know of the invisible paths of chakra left from activating a jutsu? Few rarely knew, in fact Raccoon was sure it was a technique only she had the market on exclusively, well besides the Hyuga's, but they cheated with their fancy Kekkai Genkai, although one could argue she cheated by funneling magic to her eyes.

This assassin was earned more credit than Raccoon was begrudgingly willing to give, for they had confused the poor girl by activating spurts of a jutsu in other random places fanning out to cover a section of Suna all in the same vicinity as the trajectory of the kunai.

That, coupled with the fact that she was unable to pursue had her grinding her teeth in frustration.

'_And so I resigned myself to blocking all attempts until I could investigate this matter personally.' _

Raccoon looked out and blocked all attempts at Gaara's life, a near barrage of kunai coming at her shortly after Gaara had left the man in the care of the hospital, all aimed at the front entrance though she somehow managed to catch and further riddle herself with kunai holes before Gaara could even catch wind.

She knew that three weren't stupid though, as good as she was at hiding the evidence all day, they still eyed her frayed uniform suspiciously and she was sure they were taking note of the fact that she was eyeing everything and everyone with lingering suspicion.

Her paranoia drove her so up the wall that she had even started to question the whole reason this incident started to begin with.

'What if that stupid man had only pretended to suffer from heat stroke just to give the assassin a clear shot at my Gaara? I wouldn't put it past these rotten villagers to stoop to such an uncouth and despicable level. And I have seen neither a hid or hair of my team since this whole ordeal started, surely they cannot be that busy to where they have not noticed the happenings today. I swear if they're in on any part of this they'll all suffer the cold steel of each of these blades multiplied in spades.'

It was actually a relief when the siblings had finally finished their outing and deigned to retire just as the sun was sinking lower on the horizon. Normally she looked forward to night watches where she could watch her Gaara without suspicion, because he knew she was there and therefore did not look upon her as if she was a creeper, but today more pressing matters of slicing this would-be assassin who dared to hurt her Gaara took precedence.

'_The siblings dismissed me and I set out to find the culprit of these crimes, after I interrogated my negligent team of course.' _

The ANBU facilities seemed empty when Raccoon crept down there, but she knew as well as any _trained_ ANBU that what might look like one thing can always turn out to be another.

She found Fox and Weasel, sans masks, speaking in whispers in a dark corner and would've completely passed them up had she not had such sharp eyes.

"Weasel, Fox!" There really was no reason to shout their names like that, they had already known she was here after all, but she had to vent her frustration some way.

"Raccoon." They greeted simultaneously, bowing shallowly to their superior.

"Would you like to explain what the hell happened today on patrol? Or should I just start assuming the worst?"

Out of the shadows the two men stepped, one with russet brown hair that was cropped close to his head; his young face looking almost boyish if the ripped figure beneath the uniform wasn't enough clarity; a face that Raccoon was glad a mask was kept over 99% of the time if he was always this obvious with his expressions.

The other was a surprisingly blonde man, one of the few she had actually met in her life, though his hair wasn't as sunny as Naruto's or as platinum as Ino's but somewhere in between and styled to be a slicked down version of the blonde Jinchuriki. Thankfully he was much more on guard with his expressions, and so those bright green eyes didn't give anything away.

"We apologize for not coming to your aid, but in truth we were a tad bit…compromised in the decision between duty and loyalty."

Raccoon had a sinking feeling to what that could mean, but it was not a time to be jumping to conclusions, she needed to make absolutely sure that the right person was brought to justice for these heinous crimes.

'_The two explained to me that the real culprit was Cat as I had suspected and even explained why.'_

By now Raccoon was grinding her teeth in anger, not only at affirming that it was indeed Cat who'd caused all this mischief, but at her other two teammates that would seriously consider choosing their loyalty to their long time teammate over the future Kazekage!

Though when she thought about it rationally if she was faced with a decision of protecting Gaara, regardless of the fact that she was bound to as his genie, verses some important political figure, Gaara would be chosen every time, after all, a political figure could be replaced with another just as charming political figure.

"So then why did you decide to suddenly rat her out?"

Though she understood their reasoning for protecting Cat as her friends, that did not dismiss the fact that she was now on edge with them and was prepared to take them down with Cat should the need arise. They had already proven that Cat was worth protecting even if she broke the law, who's to say the whole conversation they were having wasn't a distraction so that she could do the deed-

"If you two are stalling me here-!" Raccoon suddenly raved at the epiphany, making to scramble out.

"No wait, Raccoon!" Weasel, the brunette, grabbed her arm with a frantic expression, dragging her back to the two much to her anger.

"Weasel I will _kill_ you if you don't let me go this instant!"

"_Look_," Fox hissed, though his face was still such a calm mask for such an acidic tone. "Sabaku-san and his siblings can handle themselves even _if_ Cat manages to pose a threat to them. Which she doesn't." Fox sighed, rubbing his face once before looking back at Raccoon squarely.

"I know I can't change your mind now, this is just something to tell the council when you inevitably go out and kill Cat in the next hour. By now it should be obvious that the previous incident at the campaign was not an accident. Cat jumped purposely out of the way so that Gaara would be left open, and needless to say that when you reacted so quickly she was surprised and well, angry. To be frank we all were."

"And what exactly are you saying?"

"Raccoon, we're not going to lie, we didn't react as quickly as you on purpose, and we wanted to see if Ren, the assassin, could actually accomplish the task and rid us of having to guard Sabaku-san."

The longer the two talked, the angrier Raccoon got and the angrier Raccoon got the more she just wanted to get the hell out of there and save her precious master from that wicked, spineless-

"And you want me to stay and believe that this isn't a set up because?"

"Because our opinions have changed! We had thought that Sabaku-san hadn't changed at all but Raccoon he's shown us vast improvement!" Weasel defended, and cowered a little when Raccoon snarled at him in disbelief.

"It's true, he's shown us this past week that's he's serious about this, that he really wants to make up for the mistakes of the past. Cat couldn't see what we saw though, and to top it off, when you killed Ren, who also happened to be her boyfriend and number one hater of the Sabaku hater club, she swore vengeance on not only Sabaku-san but you."

"And that explains why the attempted assassin was never taken care of and I couldn't find hid or hair of you two."

"We tried to talk her out of it but she was determined! Believe us Raccoon, we never meant to step on any feelings you might have for Sabaku-san."

Raccoon bristled, because the accusation sounded like he knew more than he should, which put her even more on edge with the two than she was before.

"I've wasted enough time on you two, you're spared, because I gave the same warning to Cat about attempting betrayal like this and because you didn't commit the act with your own two hands I'll allow you to breathe in the same space as Sabaku-san, but if you ever do anything like this again, whether it's covering for the enemy or doing the deed yourself, rest assured that you will find yourselves in an early grave."

'_It was easy to find Cat after that, after all the two had basically told me right where she was going to be, and they're just lucky that I apprehended her when I did.' _

If anyone heard the grunt of pain from two bodies colliding together, the sleeping village didn't acknowledge it. Raccoon was surprised by even herself that she could still manage the strength to overpower Cat with all the still healing holes in her body. There was no explanation and no talking from the brunette girl as Raccoon dragged her into a dark alley. She had to wonder why it was so easy and quickly found her answer when she noticed that the brunette girl's struggle was weak at best.

"Used up all your damn chakra trying to riddle holes in Sabaku-san, huh?"

The Cheshire masked girl stood up quickly, back against the alley wall that Raccoon had thrown her against.

"I should've known it was you, after all the only one who knew about my ability to see traces of chakra from a jutsu was you, Weasel and Fox, and unfortunately for you Weasel and Fox ratted you out."

"Did you talk this much when you killed the assassin too?"

A kunai buried itself into the flesh right below her collarbone and she fell down gasping and crawling away from the steadily approaching and steadily raging Raccoon.

"Speaking of the assassin," Raccoon went on as if she'd never been interrupted and wasn't emitting an aura that spoke of death to all. "I heard he was your little boyfriend?" She tugged another of the collected kunai from the attempted assassination out of her pouch.

"That's right and you killed him you bitch!" Cat seethed; though she was more worried about crawling someplace out in the open like the end of the alleyway.

Another kunai was lodged into the inside of Cat's inner thigh, who winced but kept pulling herself to the nearest exit as Raccoon languidly followed.

"You should be happy, now the two of you get to be together as you rot in hell." Another kunai was revealed.

"We'll be waiting for you there I guess." Her smart reply awarded her another kunai, this time in the arm because she'd thrown it up to block.

"And I'll kick your asses all over again, but you know what still has me curious?" Another kunai.

"I couldn't care less."

"What has me curious is why you wanted to know so much about Maki Miyako."

"Why should I explain my reasons to _you?_"

"You don't." Cat couldn't stop the wince that came with having a kunai in your stomach. "But I was just curious to know why you accused her of such things."

"I live to protect my country from people like Sabaku no Gaara and Maki Miyako, monsters running around with human faces that think they can have everyone fooled if they only do a heroic action! But they are nothing without their power, nothing without the people and I had hoped to make the villagers see until _this_. I praise whoever ended that monster's life!"

She hissed involuntarily as another kunai made another satisfying plunk of burying itself into her shoulder.

"I see, well I've got a secret to tell you, Cat. One last thing to take to the grave."

With that she whipped off her mask dramatically, though most would be confused by the sight of short russet hair had they not known of the piercing purple eyes.

'_And then I killed her.' _

"I am Maki Miyako." She giggled sadistically, and enjoyed the frightened face of shock before she riddled the rest of Cat's body with magic lances and set her ablaze until she was nothing but ash.

G/M

What Raccoon did not mention was the events that took place during the watch of that night.

As mentioned before Gaara knew of her presence, and she knew that Gaara knew of her presence, leading her to believe that he knew that she knew that he knew of her presence. After all, it wasn't like she was going to great lengths to hide it, Gaara was told from the beginning that his privacy would be miniscule and that his every move would be scrutinized and watching him at night was no exception.

Of course she often conducted the night watches, in fact she always conducted the night watches. Originally they were supposed to switch off duty watches to be fair, but because of a combination of Raccoon's obsession over Gaara's safety and her obsession over, well, _Gaara_, she had insisted that she take all the night watches, which was just fine with the rest of the team. Now that she thought about it she was glad that she'd insisted so much, for she feared that had she not Cat and her on-again off-again cohorts might've gotten a clearer chance at taking a stab at her master.

Fox and Weasel had offered to take the night watch in her stead, even going so far as to argue that they'd do it to prove their change of heart and overall loyalty to her, but when it all boiled down to why she'd vehemently refused the reason was that she just didn't _trust_ them, not after what they'd just told her, true they'd told her but that didn't change the content of the words or the truths behind them.

She wouldn't allow them within twenty feet of her Gaara without her present.

And so she arrived late that night, exhausted because she'd literally ran to her apartment, had scrubbed herself rushed and raw in ten minutes of the blood, changed and ran all the way back.

True she lived close to the Kazekage mansion, and it was true that the ANBU facilities were fairly close to the Kazekage mansion as well as the council chambers, but that still didn't mean that it didn't take a lot of energy out of a dying person to run around to all those places.

But the important thing was that Gaara noticed all of this. So she was stunned when he'd called out to her in a quiet voice:

"Raccoon?"

She considered ignoring and treating him as an ANBU was supposed to treat their clients, with unwavering silent intimidation, but the urge to speak to her master again, to have his beautiful gruff voice only directed at her, won out over all other reason and so she answered his request, sticking herself to the building side until she was to the right of the window Gaara was standing in front of.

She waited in silent question for the reason he'd call her to his window and meanwhile squashed the fanciful notion that he felt like a midnight tryst while cursing escalating hormones.

"What happened out there today?"

That was something she didn't feel like answering, she knew she would- how could she not? - But she'd rather play dumb for as long as possible before giving in.

At that moment she wished she could just pull a Lion and get away Scott-free with a head tilt, things didn't work that way though, as she was the only one who ever really understood Lion.

"There were bloody holes in your suit and you were a lot tenser than usual…" She must've imagined the subtle soft look he'd given her, because there was just no way that Gaara, at least the one she knew, could muster a soft look.

_Her_ Gaara on the other hand…

"Thank you."

Alright, she _had_ to say something to that, it was only right that he knew how she felt about his appreciation.

"There is no need to thank me, Sabaku-san; I am only doing my job." She might've sounded a little breathless through the monotony she was going for, but only because she felt like a giddy schoolgirl.

"I realize that this is less than suitable, having to protect someone who has failed to protect you, but-"

"Sabaku-san if I may interrupt."

Despite the fact that his face was projecting boredom in the low light of the moon, she could see that self-loathing as it shimmered out in his eyes though the rest of his emotions stayed carefully guarded.

"You may…" He seemed highly hesitant to hear what Raccoon had to say, but the sharp tone she had used to address him had him curious.

"To be frank, I have no opinion of you or what you harbor, though I had heard and still hear the tales of the villagers, whether they are tall or real horrible tales I will never know. You should know that I also do not care, the things that you have done in the past should not be like guillotines hanging over your head for the rest of your future. The past is the past, and if you are willing to change than the people of this country should be willing as well."

"You seem very passionate about such a subject." An offhanded comment, an offhanded comment that had Miyako sweating inside the mask though _Raccoon_ saw it fit screen any reaction she might've had. Luckily Gaara didn't seem at all suspicious as he said it, in fact he almost sounded envious, but envious of what?

Oh how she yearned to talk to Gaara how she used to.

"Your definition of passion is much different than mine then, Sabaku-san."

"I don't think I'm mistaken about this," she almost died of a heart attack when he managed a small wistful smile, "but I wonder what you'll do if I do become Kazekage?"

She wanted so badly to correct his if to a when, but his question sidetracked her. What would she do when Gaara became Kazekage? For once in her life she hadn't thought adequately far enough ahead, only assuming that she would still be his head ANBU until he had no more use of her, but what if he had no more use of her in the near future? Where would she go then?

"My feelings will not change," she assured him in the most bored voice she could muster. "I will still be loyal to my country…and as a consequence you, until I meet my time."

She had to consciously twist the order of those points; though her mind screamed at her instinctively that Gaara always came first and country second, if it rarely ever mattered at all.

"Good." His face was back to its hard masking ways, but she wasn't his servant for nothing, she could detect the grateful calm underneath the serious overlay of his eyes.

"Goodnight Raccoon." And then he was gone from the window, leaving Raccoon to stare after in dumb suspension.

"Goodnight Sabaku-san." She finally choked out before crawling herself back to her post.

G/M

Despite the wariness felt by the council at Raccoon's somewhat abrupt actions, Cat was replaced with almost an exact replica- Fox and Weasel insisted that the new Cat wasn't even remotely the same to the last, but Raccoon's stares communicated to them that not only did she _not_ care what they thought about the situation but that she actually preferred that Cat was different- in height and hair color to the original Cat.

The Sabaku siblings didn't notice, although she could feel Gaara's curiosity at the slight change of the atmosphere of the room every time Cat was around. Raccoon gave silent death glares to all council members and especially her team to _keep their mouths shut_.

They couldn't really dwell on it too long, for the council quickly got them a distraction only a week into the replacement.

"Konohagakure is requesting our aid in retrieving an Uchiha Sasuke."

Just that name got everyone in the building's attention; even the eavesdropping passerby's had their interest piqued.

While everyone else was curious Raccoon was only tense, her hand tightening and loosening sporadically on her hidden arm though her face gave nothing away.

Her thoughts were flying around at a mile a minute it seemed, most of them centered around what the hell kind of trouble Sasuke could've put Konoha through now, how it was affecting Naruto, if Sakura had done something stupid like run after him yet, if Kakashi would lead the mission to find him.

'But if they're requesting aid in retrieving him than he must've already made good headway out of the village and they've run into complications. I don't know what kind of complications Sasuke could pose though, if I could kick his ass as weak as I am than a whole village, especially with Naruto's growth, should have no problem hunting and taking down Uchiha.'

"What are the circumstances?" Gaara was in all business mode, every part of him unreadable, though Miyako could guess what he was thinking underneath it all.

'If things went as well as they seemed to between Naruto and Gaara than Gaara's probably only doing this as a favor to the blonde…or perhaps with this sudden defection Gaara sees a little bit of himself in Sasuke? He always did say something about how he and Sasuke were more alike.'

She still couldn't put her finger on what could've prompted Konoha to ask for Suna's help…much less in catching Sasuke. She realized that Suna was obviously making some sort of peace treaty with Konoha and in conjunction helping out in any way that they could, but why was Sasuke giving them so much trouble?

"It appears that they had sent out a retrieval squad consisting of Nara Shikamaru as the captain, Akimichi Chouji, Hyuga Neji, Inuzuka Kiba and Uzumaki Naruto, but that they were all apprehended in their pursuit of Sasuke by one of Orochimaru's cohorts."

'That's why. Orochimaru must've had some sort of chat with Sasuke that further convinced him to come join him, although I can't imagine how convincing he really could have been considering the rumors of how freakin scary he looks.'

"And what is our objective?" Temari voiced from her position by Gaara's side.

"You three, upon choosing to accept the mission, must provide assistance to any of the retrieval squad needing aid."

"And what about the capture of the Uchiha?" Kankuro finished in a grunt in tandem with his sister.

"As Uzumaki Naruto has currently not reported any injury or deterrent in reaching the Uchiha it will be left up to him to retrieve and bring Uchiha-san back."

"Do not call him Uchiha-san, he is not worthy of such a title with this sort of betrayal against his best friend." Gaara grumbled just short of hissing.

'So that answers that question of how he feels about this whole situation, but I had thought he'd be just a little more understanding…though in hindsight I suppose that if he's not giving his own self a break on a life he couldn't very well control, why would he give Sasuke one for something that he could?' Raccoon did not fidget despite her thoughts and patiently a waited what _she_ was to do for this impromptu mission.

"You each have your assignments and time is of the essence; so I suggest you start packing immediately and gather at the gates as soon as you can."

Raccoon reigned in her alarm very well as the siblings took off to start their grand adventure to Konoha, but as soon as they were out of sensing and hearing range she let the council have it.

"What the hell are you doing?!" She barked, uncharacteristic of the old Miyako, but very characteristic of the new Miyako/Raccoon. It was a necessary change, at least that's what she kept telling herself.

"What is your concern, Raccoon?" It was only lucky for her that the council interpreted her lack of respect as what it truly was, overprotectiveness of Gaara.

"You didn't mention me at all, is there a reason for that?" Of course it was a rhetorical question, because no matter what crap reason they came up with it would still set her off into a frenzy of anger, and no matter what they threatened her with they'd never managed to convince her not to follow, because they didn't know she'd follow Gaara to the ends of the earth.

"The Council sees no reason for you to accompany the siblings, they are capable Shinobi they can certainly take care of a few of Orochimaru's men. They don't need our constant supervision, we do not completely distrust them and Gaara has proven his worth in this last month."

"No one is disputing that," she wondered vaguely how much trouble she would be in if she just left without their permission, surely it didn't take that much magic to make them conveniently forget one tiny little transgression… "But I hardly see sending them to the place we senselessly attacked a month ago without at least one guard posted as safe."

"What do you think is going to happen?"

Oh how she hated when people belittled her concerns, especially her concerns about Gaara's safety, it's like they didn't comprehend the obvious things.

"I would wager that Sabaku-san is more likely to be attacked in Konoha during this mission, because he's going to a place where he nearly killed _thousands_ of villagers." She resisted the urge to mimic their voices and speak down to them, and then they'd know what it felt like to be belittled.

"I would hardly think so, Raccoon, the ninja of Konoha understand the situation they will take Gaara's safety into their own hands and we feel that they are perfectly capable."

Raccoon didn't doubt that they were, but that still didn't alleviate the strange strangling sensation developing in her heart. Since she doubted it was heart attack, yet, she would have to guess that the thought of leaving Gaara behind was causing it. Could one build up to a heart attack?

"So that's it? You're just going to leave our potential future Kazekage in the hands of some other nation's ninja? I understand that you want to make Sabaku-san feel as though he's the big boy that he is, but even he has to understand that he is far too valuable a resource to just be arbitrarily handed over and cared for by skeptical and still possible enemy ninja."

And she certainly did not care if her voice sounded far too mocking at that point to be speaking to the council, if they didn't give her clearance to at least meet the siblings in Konoha for their trip back; she would do far worse than _bruise_ their pride.

"So it's wrong to instill a little bit of trust in the Konoha ninja, is that what you're saying?"

"You want to instill trust in a former enemy nation after only a month when it took you just as long to stop looking at Sabaku-san as if he were a monster? You won't even decrease his security yet around the village, but you want to send some sort of message to both he and Konoha now that you trust the two of them? What makes you think that Konoha won't bat an eyelash to send an assassin after Sabaku-san during his stay there? You can't trust that nothing will happen to him, and that's why you need _me_ there to make _sure_." 'Because that's what you hired me for.' She thought in her head while mentally rolling her eyes.

The council still looked skeptical, which only increased the strangling feeling in her chest and her desire to _strangle_ them.

"And what will it possibly say to Sabaku-san if there's no guard there to meet him in Konoha to ensure a safe trip back? I can imagine that he might think that his country has abandoned him in his time to cement relations between fighting lands, and you wouldn't want a furious Sabaku-san, or perhaps Sabaku-sans is more appropriate."

Now she was playing low, and lying, but she was good at lying, she'd been doing it since Gaara had sporadically shoved her out the lamp and even eons before so she had a sort of mastery over it. The truth was that the siblings would probably _like_ to have fewer guards around and be free to breathe; in fact they may not even notice her absence, but the fact was _she_ needed to be there for her own sanity. She should at least keep that intact, she wasn't much use to Gaara dying and insane.

Nevertheless that got the Council onboard quickly, apparently dealing with Temari is terrifying to them as well, and she was instructed that she should only travel to Konoha and not interfere with any battles taking place, aka make her scarce.

As they dismissed the four of them Raccoon finally let out the exasperated sigh she'd been holding once out of ear range, a giant duh ringing in her head at the Council's stupidity.

'This is why _Kage_ run villages, because a bunch of uptight farts can't do or remember a damn thing, a Kage would remember that it is an ANBU's job to be scarce. Morons.'

G/M

Of course that didn't mean that Raccoon wasn't going to spy on the battles taking place anyway, besides she deserved to know what was going on just as much as everyone else. Sasuke was her first…and really last, beat down, and she needed to check up on him…to maybe beat him up again.

But if he really was putting up as much trouble as the Council claimed he was than she really shouldn't go anywhere near his royal-pain-in-the-ass-Uchiha. It was only logical that all this fuss must've meant that he'd gotten stronger, which normally wouldn't bother her if she wasn't so much _weaker_.

Finding Temari's and Kankuro's battles were easy, they were apparently aiding Nara Shikamaru and Inuzuka Kiba respectfully, Kiba she could understand because he'd gotten his ass handed to him by Naruto, although she expected so much better out of him after two months, but Shikamaru just had her plain confused.

'Isn't he supposed to be some sort of genius or something? Just what the hell is he doing, getting himself outsmarted by some Sound ninja girl with pink hair and a swearing problem?'

Even in her head that sounded really spiteful and judgmental, so she just stopped thinking about it and let Temari do her terrifying Wind moves. She'd probably hear the whole story later anyway, Temari kind of liked to gossip, and since Raccoon wasn't really known to spread their personal secrets thus far she made the perfect confidant.

Kankuro was the same, just using his puppets. When did he get that new freaky looking one? Whatever, all the same it was equally terrifying and she left the two to their own devices as well.

Now on to the most important matter, Gaara.

They were in a clearing, and the "they" she observed that it was her beloved master Gaara and Lee, the man he'd severely injured but two months ago…they were getting along strangely well for two people who still hadn't worked out their unspoken problems. Although as she kept looking on that could've been because Lee was wobbling strangely with pink tinted cheeks.

'Is he drunk? What the gizzards? I didn't know Lee drank or fought drunk…I wonder if Gai knows about this? Wait, when was he healed? I thought he'd never be able to pursue a ninja career with his injuries or something like that? Not that I'm not thrilled that he can stand and fight again…'

The blanched guy took her attention away from her distracting thoughts and back to the matter at hand, which was killing the blanched guy, finding Sasuke and dragging his emo-duckbutt-styled-asshat self back home.

'Wait, where is Sasuke? Where is Naruto? Why does that freaky pale guy have a strange protruding exoskeleton as his Kekkai Genkai? I might have to copy that…oh great now I sound like Kakashi, oh great sad memories.'

On another note Lee was really good at blocking bone attacks even in his drunken state, which was mildly amusing, but she wondered when Gaara was going to jump in.

'Good thing he's on the other side of the clearing, with my luck I'd have picked a spot right next to him without even thinking about it.'

She would've cross-analyzed exactly why this was in her spare thought time, but the pale guy decided that it was about time to stop playing with Lee and knocked him down to the ground, intent on finishing him, which is about the time when Gaara showed up, said something to Lee and then to the pale guy and then they commenced in having a ninja stare off.

'What is with ninjas and staring? Is this like the time they use to flashback to important moments leading up to this point in a montage that's only meaningful to them? What am I saying, they're probably strategizing.' That thought seemed much more plausible than the previous.

Gaara started off with a block of the PG's (Pale guys) projectile fingertip bones. What are those called? Who cares, it made Raccoon twitch in annoyance though. Lee tried to run ahead and take the guy on again, but who was he kidding he was bleeding, there was no way reformed Gaara was going to let Lee fight this battle. And he didn't, if his silent forceful tactics of saying "stay behind me" with sand were anything to go by.

'So aggressive, I wonder if he'd be like that in bed...'

The guy tried to shoot his bones again, but Gaara is a no nonsense kind of guy and so his sand danced to intercept him while he danced away.

'Huh. Ninjas are kind of like dancers, except they dance to live… stupid pretty, graceful people.'

PG said something to Gaara that Gaara must've not liked and replied back to, and she saw that he had trapped him with sand and was about to rain more sand upon him to complete his sand burial technique.

'Wow, this is the most he's talked in one sitting in his life, besides when we were six. I wonder if this all works out if I'll ever get him to talk like that again. Or maybe use his mouth for something else…'

Once complete she _thought_ it was over, she would've been glad if it was, but PG apparently had more spring in his step than she thought.

'Wait, how did he survive that? Oh yeah, bones, he probably made another skeleton for himself under his skin or something, I'll just ask Gaara later, these ninja are notorious for explaining their techniques while in battle.'

PG said something, Gaara said nothing and then he just abruptly started making all of these handsigns viciously while a giant sand wall built up and rose into a wave that was much taller than the trees she was hiding behind.

And then she couldn't think anymore because she was too busy running to the other side of the field so she wouldn't be trapped under a suffocating blanket of quicksand.

'I'll bet by the time this is over he'll have sand in places he never knew he could have.' She thought from the safety of a tree well behind Gaara and the chaos he was causing to the natural wilderness of the Konoha forests.

From behind Lee was looking at Gaara but she couldn't see his expression, so she just had to imagine that he was at awe at Gaara's awesome might and the improvement he'd made thus far.

'Alright, if this guy doesn't die inside of this giant suffocating blanket then I don't know what will kill him, so just in case…' She then set to work on finding a weakness of PG as he transformed into an ugly brown dinosaur-thing and ran straight for Gaara.

In the middle of her search she was distracted by Gaara being rammed into, which felt like someone was ramming a stake through her heart. That pale ass guy better just thank his lucky stars that Gaara was wearing sand armor or she'd totally break cover and find some way to kick his butt even if she was dying.

Hey, that's something they had in common, the pale guy and she were both dying it seemed. Well, he was dying from some sort of weird disease and she was dying because she was a coward and feared rejection, but they were still both going at a sluggish pace.

Anyway, while she was out, Gaara had tried Sand burial again it seemed, but that did not work, and tried doing arm cardio exercises before PG hit him, but that did not work either.

'At least he tried, all that cardio has to work somewhere efficiently, if not here maybe in the sack…wait a minute!'

Momentarily she was distracted by the use of the ultimate defense shield that resembled Shukaku, but she'd deal with that irritating problem later, the actual problem now was,

'Where are all these blatant sexual thoughts coming from?! I just thought three in the past ten minutes! And why isn't his ultimate defense a statue of me for crying out loud?! I've been protecting him for practically his whole life! Well, except for seven years of it, but that's more than the actual monster did!'

PG tried to drill through the sand with that super hardened bone of his, but it didn't work of course, and Gaara only had enough chakra for one last move, burying PG under thousands of tons of sand.

'I hope he gets to feel sand in uncomfortable places for the rest of his life, he better suffocate like he's supposed to and never come out from under there.' Raccoon watched with a sigh, relieved that it finally seemed to be over…for the fifth time.

That is until thousands of bones protruded from the earth and Gaara narrowly escaped by using the sand to float above all the chaos.

'What the hell are you doing over there Gaara, you and Lee come here?! Come over here now; don't just hover above the protruding bone structures as if they're magnificent pieces of art!'

It seemed to be over, again, but if Raccoon had learned anything about this guy, it was that he was persistent as they came, hell, he could rival Naruto if he wanted to.

'Well than if he won't die the proper way, by choking on sand, we'll just have to get rid of him the Miyako way, with magic and lots of subtlety.'

The only way to do that was to speed up his sickness and so she made sure to have a suffocating coil around his heart so he could feel the same pain she felt _every day_ and made sure to squeeze generously.

It seemed like this time it was actually over, and just when Lee and Gaara had decided that Gaara was spent and head on over to her side, PG just decided that he would defy her heart squeezing and waste the little oxygen he had left on trying to kill her beloved master.

'OH HELL NO!' She couldn't very well have that, even if it did take a nice sum of the magic she had left to strangle his heart until it was nothing but a shriveled prune.

He died just before the bone could meet Gaara's face, and Raccoon was so happy that she just barely passed out from the combination of joy and utter exhaustion.

For the first time in a while she knew exactly how Gaara felt.

However she had a cover to keep up and barely got away in time for Gaara and Lee to land safely amongst the trees not too far from where she'd vacated, she only got as far as the deeper thicket of the woods before her eyes met their eyelid partners in sweet surrender.

G/M

She woke up in the middle of the Sand Siblings goodbyes to Shikamaru, in her pre-prepared original body that had been previously occupied by a clone completing her assignment for her. The memories were boring at best, except for the part where the three questioned the clone relentlessly about why she was there, and she had made sure that the clone had said little, as did she when goodbyes were exchanged, only bowing politely to Shikamaru as a goodbye even though she really wanted to find Naruto, hug him for a really long time and ask what the hell had went on.

She'd get it from the siblings she supposed.

"Not that we're not thrilled to see you, because we really are if you haven't noticed how tired Gaara is right now, but we really didn't need a babysitter to go to the Leaf Village, they wouldn't have hurt us there."

Raccoon resisted the groan bubbling in her throat to instead shrug noncommittally and answer vaguely.

"The Council worries."

Temari took the answer in stride, and Raccoon was glad to see that she really _wasn't_ at all put off by her sudden unannounced presence.

Raccoon then let Temari chatter on and on about vague details of their mission while Raccoon half-listened, her eyes trained intently up ahead.

She was so intent on what was ahead that she did not even sense or look at the ground, which is why she will forever blame the tree root for tripping her and not her sudden carelessness.

The siblings noted her stumble but said nothing as she quickly righted herself, only giving her strange looks as they continued onwards.

G/M

**I'm soooooo sorry! This was supposed to be published like…last year! But with a combination of writer's block, laziness from the long break at home and then general laziness, there is a difference, I literally wrote nothing! I'm ashamed! I will try, really try, to get at least two more chapters out before I have to go back to school, and then the update dates are anyone's guess. No seriously, my schedule is harder this semester and I anticipate a lot of reading and studying, which means zero social life much less fanfic life! **

**But on to a more interesting note, that last sentence is…foreshadowing! Dun Dun Dun! You'll see by like the 16****th**** chapter what I mean and then by the 18****th**** chapter you will **_**really **_**see what I mean, but until then, you'll just have to wonder! Or guess…I mean it's not that hard I've been saying it for the past…eight chapters. **

**Anyway, toodles and review if you still love me! I ain't too proud to beg now. **

**So Funny Acronym **


	15. Obstinacy

A/N: Whoot, Chapter 15! This may be considered a filler, but if you like fluff as much as La, Flatwaffles and I then you probably disagree and were eagerly awaiting this chapter. So fluff warning. Also a warning for Raccoon, Miyako, with her ANBU mask off. Le gasp! This is also an imagined scene of Gaara taking the Kazekage mantel, which means big party and celebration time! So with that in mind, enjoy!

Reviewer appreciation time!

Guest 1: Here you go, I continued!

Guest 2: Your wish is my command good reviewer

La: Concerning your question of how many wishes Gaara has left, it is one. And here's an outline of his wishes to help you understand.

Chapter One: Gaara wishes for Miyako to be his best friend for like, ever.

Chapter Two: Gaara wishes that Miyako be forced back into her lamp.

Chapter Three: Gaara wishes for someone, in his head, that understands him thus freeing Miyako, who was wished up to understand him by the six year old Gaara.

Chapter Thirteen: Gaara, vaguely, wishes that Suna would give him a chance to prove to them his worth as an individual and see that he is more than the monster they claim.

Wow, I just realized that three straight chapters are three straight wishes and that Gaara doesn't make the fourth one until ten chapters later. That's gotta be some sort of record or something.

Really I apologize to you, and to all my other readers, about the HUGE delay of the last chapter, which is why I'll try to get this one out immediately.

Flatwaffles29: Yeah I know, that dinosaur-thing line was one of my favorites, as were her blatant sexual thoughts. But now here's your sort-of-fluff! Enjoy, because there isn't any planned for like, ten chapters after this. And I'm not even exaggerating in that number, my outline thing right here says that the next few chapters are going to be void of any fluff.

Victor B. Thomas: You really do ask a lot. As for the guesses as to what the last line meant…sorry no, none of those are correct, as in the meaning for the last line at least. I'm not sure where you got the kunai idea from, but in the Naruto episode that I refresh watched yesterday Gaara had to ride the sand he always controls and defends him over the field of bones Kimimaro made in order to avoid him and Lee being skewered, thus leaving him open for attack by Kimimaro. And even if he had had some sand left to defend against Kimimaro, if that guy wasn't about to die from sickness he would've ploughed right through Gaara's defense and killed him anyway, so all in all she had to intervene by speeding up his sickness internally, because she still couldn't give away to Gaara that she was watching him, to avoid Gaara being skewered.

TMC-Yuki: Here you go darling! An update! Sorry I couldn't be quicker!

REDRydingHood: Thank you! Someone feels my pain.

Red X17: You always leave me wanting more Red. Thanks for the comment though.

Guest 3: Yeah, she tries to keep her pervy-ness from other people, but she can never lie to us.

La: Not quite…but keep guessing.

Guest 4: Miyako wants to say thank you for being so concerned with her love life. And Gaara clearly has nothing to say since he has no idea what you're talking about.

NumberOneNarcissist: For your three reviewers. First off, thanks! Second, don't be jealous, some of my first chapters are complete crap, I went back and read some of them and thought to myself. WTH?! And thirdly, thanks for all of the sign off names, you rock!

LittleAngel22493: Here's more lovely!

Whooo, alright, on with the story! Oh Disclaimer!

Miyako: Didn't we already establish to you that the disclaimer quit?

SFA: Well what am I supposed to do now?!

Miyako: You'll just have to settle with me.

SFA: -shrugs- Go on then.

Miyako: Even if SFA wished for it she couldn't have _Naruto_.

SFA:…Thanks. Anyways, onwards!

Obstinacy

_The Pale Guy was poised over Gaara to strike, his bone arm ready to impale itself into the future Kazekage's head, but of course Raccoon couldn't have that. _

_Without even giving it much thought she hurled ball of pure magic at him, shattering his bone arm and even his actual arm with the all force and ferociousness the genie had in heart. _

_Of course Gaara was bound to notice, and he did. _

_He turned his head slowly, his eyes wide with surprise and intrigue as he spotted the ANBU hanging onto the torso of a nearby tree, huffing madly with exertion, surprised he floated over to her location and held her up a bit when it appeared she would fall. _

"_What…Raccoon? What are you doing here?" _

_The scene was spinning and she felt nauseated, so it was inevitable that her mouth had decided to run as well. _

"_Council…sent me…ahead to meet you. I just…couldn't stop worrying." Then she could no longer speak due to a mixture of lightheadedness and how freakin _close_ Gaara was. How did teenagers manage to focus on one task with these stupid hormones? _

"…_Thank you." _

_She didn't see his expression with her head on the tree that doubled as a steadying post for her severe vertigo and a shield against acting upon raging hormones, but she guessed the action was sincere enough considering he was _touching_ her. _

_Every nerve ending within a five inch radius of that spot on her shoulder was tingling and the bark beneath her fingertips felt the intensity of her love as if cracked from the pressure of her grip. _

"_But that technique you used…Raccoon who are you under there?" _

_The blunt question froze her as if Konoha had become Yukigakure within the span of mere seconds and she worried that she couldn't account her trembling for overexertion of magic any longer. _

_Her mouth said the name with a foolish hopeful undertone to it and the hand on her shoulder became almost death-gripping. _

_Now it was only to discover if that grip came about from pain or pleasure, except she couldn't bring herself to turn her head even slightly in his direction. _

'_He hates me; he hates me he has to! Not only did I apparently cause him trouble with my death, but I also lied to him! I hate myself! But it aches even more not knowing what he's thinking, I _have_ to see.' _

_So she resigned herself to turning around to face him, slowly, the slowest she'd ever moved in her life, in fact she was so slow she was surprised Gaara hadn't become impatient with her and yanked her fully around himself. _

_She soon figured out why. _

_Gaara's expression was disjointed, like he didn't quite know what to make of this news, Lee's expression of shock was momentarily noted but quickly forgotten in favor of Gaara's slowly morphing face, and it didn't look to be going the way she had hoped it would. _

_His eyes were flat, nearly unreadable, which in itself was torment for the genie, and then his mouth turned into a solid line, the corners twitching down ever so slightly. _

"_Don't say anything." And in a moment completely out of her control fueled by her hectic state she whipped her mask off so he could see the truth and just how much it was affecting her. _

"_Just…just listen to me okay, if you just listen everything-" _

"_You left me all alone." _

_She sputtered out; those were the last words she'd been expecting. She had been thinking that he would have been upset with her lies, her betrayal and then her complete lack of explanation that came with her impromptu death, but…loneliness? _

"_I'm sorry." She apologized automatically, though still confusedly. _

"_Sorry?" She tensed, his voice was completely flat, just like his face; he was obviously carefully choosing his emotions. "Do you think sorry is enough for leaving me alone and loveless for seven years of my life? _

_Wait…what? _

"_Do you think sorry is going to reverse how painfully isolated I felt when you failed to show me what love was truly _supposed_ to be like, only to abandon me instantly afterwards?" _

_It almost sounded like…_

"_And then when you do come back you don't even care enough to tell me the truth straight away, and instead play secret mind games with my head and lie to my face?" _

_No it truly did sound like he knew what she really was. It sounded like he had connected the dots from little six year old _Kurosawa_ Miyako, his genie and best friend to _Maki_ Miyako, his guardian and semi-confidant. Oh and just to make it better, since she'd opened her damned mouth he now knew that Raccoon was both, but how? How had he figured out just by the name Miyako that she'd meant not only the Miyako that was supposedly a dead traitor, but also the Miyako who loved and cherished him deeply as his openly magical best friend for a year? She had thought, no she'd made _sure_ that he'd never figure it out until she was absolutely sure he was ready to, but she had clearly underestimated him. _

"_Gaara-"She started to plea, a mixture of shock and hurt evident in her tone. _

"_You're sorry isn't sufficient." He went on as if she'd never even spoken. _

"_Gaara-" She tried again, and was vaguely reminded of a similar scene seven years ago._

"_Your behavior is detestable." _

"_Gaara!" She started to grow frantic, the thought of _that scene_ repeating itself making her throat close and her tears fall freely. _

"_And your _help_ isn't needed." _

_She clawed at his leg desperately as he rose regally from his crouched position, looking down that perfect nose at her with eyes that were still more radiant than anything else. _

_Eyes that even when alit with a negative emotion as hatred she would never cease to love. _

"_Gaara no, no, please don't do this to me again!" The way she groveled was almost too shameful, but in this situation she could care less. _

"_I won't…"_

_Then why didn't her heart want to stop beating so wildly? Why was cold fear still gripping her stomach and threatening to squeeze the life out of her? _

"_Because I wish you'd never even met me." _

G/M

The scream was loud and piercing before it was abruptly cut off by the owner and they panted as if they'd just ran a marathon.

Fumbling could be heard as could the dangerous teetering of objects, but soon a light cut itself into the darkness and illuminated the face of one terrified Raccoon.

Well, according to that dream as Gaara had said: Raccoon/ Maki/ Kurosawa Miyako.

'That's right, just a dream, it didn't actually happen that way.' She reassured herself, but that was only after she'd checked outside her window, stumbled around to find her Raccoon mask, and checked Gaara's current status that she determined this.

She fell back into her bed with an undignified flop that would've had her royal ancestors sneering at her in contempt.

'My God, what would they say if they found out what I've been reduced to? A paranoid, backstabbing, lying mess who can't even grow the guts necessary to tell her own master that he was…well her master.'

Her stomach rolled and pitched in tandem with her mind with the direction of her thoughts as it vied to release her negative thoughts as if they were a recent bad meal, go to sleep, and forget this whole dream had ever happened.

'I can't just forget.' She thought gravely, squirming herself back under the covers but refusing to surrender to sleep just yet. 'This dream, the first dream I've had since Gaara became my master, is a warning: Gaara can't know about what I truly am, what we truly ever were even.'

She wished for the first time since losing sleep eight years ago that she actually didn't have to go to sleep, but as a consequence of her lack of magic and her unwillingness to simply fix it she had to now; it was inevitable if she wanted to continue on as she had and avoid suspicion from the siblings as well as her partners. If she had a choice though it would be to avoid sleep altogether because frankly, she was afraid to go back to sleep and have more dreams of Gaara saying things like _that_ to her.

"It's fine because he won't, he only has one last wish left, there's no possible way he could figure it out before then, and even if he does take a long time he'll have to be ready at some point, and then I'll tell him and face the consequences."

With that in mind and said aloud, like a promise, she forced herself to go back to sleep.

G/M

"What's so special about this Uzumaki-Naruto-san?"

Raccoon stole a glance at a nearby lingering young man who was staring openly at Temari, but quickly dismissed himself at noticing her gaze and walked briskly away; his cheeks burning. Raccoon stifled a giggle at his expense and refocused her eyes on the distracted Temari.

Raccoon's words finally registered with her, and she pulled her curious and sharp gaze, which had been previously studying fruit, to rest on her.

"How do you know about Naruto?"

"Kazekage-sama mentioned him under his breath this morning and he seemed very troubled."

Her eyes instantly relaxed as she beamed and playfully hit Raccoon though her eyes twinkled. "You don't have to call him that _yet_ the ceremony's not until tomorrow."

"This does not detract from the fact that he _is_ Kazekage." Raccoon shot back coolly, evenly, though on the inside her organs felt as if they were wrapped in bubbles and about to float away to cloud nine.

Yes, that's right, Gaara had made Kazekage and it had only taken him two months to accomplish. It would be under and understatement to say that she was proud, elated, overjoyed and fantastically happy, simply no one word could describe her overall feelings.

"Anyway," Temari continued, picking up and apple and observing it with a keen eye, "Naruto is his best friend of sorts; he's the one that brought on this amazing change in Gaara after all."

"Ah." She warily eyed the way Temari seemed to dissect the fruit with her eyes and calculate its freshness, taste and God knows what else with intellect alone.

Normally she'd be terrified to be alone with Temari- well she wasn't technically alone, Cat was with her but the new Cat didn't speak much which Raccoon saw as an improvement over the old Cat- but lately it had become necessary. It was known that she was a little sharper than her brothers, well a lot sharper but Gaara was getting there, but she was easily distractible with trivial tasks such as shopping and gossip, the two together usually tended to occupy her for hours at a time. If she had decided to go with her screaming instincts and stick to Gaara as she'd always done, he'd surely notice her off-kilter status and bring it up, thus rendering her to unnecessary lying and his scrutinizing suspicion, because she could never lie well to Gaara.

That's why she'd had to give up most of her night watches the past two weeks and all but avoid day trips this last week. Luckily Temari was just as busy as the other two in preparations, as she had taken it upon herself to oversee the whole entire planning of the festivities and thus plopping herself in her prime element of barking orders and bossing people around.

It was laughably easy compared to guarding Gaara.

"So what has Naruto-san done that's gotten Kazekage-sama so upset then?"

That was a genuine question and not just some tactic to distract Temari's attentions away from her suddenly odd schedule.

"He can't come to the party." Temari sighed, finally placing the fruit in the basket then picking up another fairly quickly.

"Oh?"

"He apparently went on some three year training session with one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha; I believe his name was Jiraiya." Temari said offhandedly, tsking and moving on to another apple with intense concentration.

"That's…disappointing." She hoped Temari didn't notice the way her voice drifted off reminiscently. She truly was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to see her Sunshine for a whole three years, but it's not like they could talk or anything so maybe it was for the best.

Yeah, she'd probably end up crying if she saw Naruto anyway, and apologizing with the guilt laying heavily on her soul.

"It is, but the Hokage's already sent her best wishes and there will be some representatives from Konoha appearing and bearing gifts for the celebration, so I guess that will have to do."

The point was though that it _didn't_, Gaara didn't care about some random people from Konoha he'd never met before, he cared about _Naruto_ and the fact that he wasn't going to be there to celebrate what Gaara probably viewed as the greatest accomplishment of his life was depressing to both him and as a result her.

"Hm." She replied noncommittally.

Temari tossed the apple in her basket and looked to Raccoon with a curious gaze.

"So will we be seeing _you_ at the party?"

That _you_ did not fall on deaf ears, she was clearly referring to what was under the mask and Raccoon was glad she couldn't see under it or else she'd notice that Raccoon was rolling her eyes at her dramatics.

Temari and Kankuro had as of late become fascinated with finding out who was under the Raccoon mask; Gaara could either care less or respected her enough not to want to find out. They had first started pestering her about a month ago, outright asking for her to tell them or to remove the mask. When she had asked why after a few consecutive times they'd only answered that she seemed like such a cool person that they wanted to know what she looked like outside of work, to hang out or whatever.

She still refused.

Not that she wasn't flattered by their apparent like towards her; they certainly hadn't felt that way about Maki Miyako, it was simply to save her own skin.

"Temari-san, you know just as well as Kankuro-san that I told you numerous times that the ANBU will not be _visible_ during the party."

Just because Raccoon knew what she talking about with that _you_ doesn't mean she couldn't pretend that she didn't.

Temari pouted as they made their way across the bizarre to a fabric shop where she was momentarily distracted by the vendor enthusiastically greeting her.

"You know what I mean!" She resumed after the vendor had gone to fetch her order of fine silks. "Will we be seeing the _real you_, the one under that mask at that party tomorrow night?"

"Ah," She allowed herself a quiet chuckle before answering dryly. "Even if I was to attend mask-less I wouldn't inform you of my true identity."

Temari huffed, but her protests were cut off when the fabric arrived and she mock viciously shoved it into Raccoon's arms.

Raccoon laughed all the way home.

G/M

The Council had given them strict orders that the party was to remain in an overall festive mood which was The Council's way of saying "hide". That's right; no ANBU members were to grace the streets of Suna during this party, only the rooftops.

At least, no masked or obvious ANBU were supposed to show up to the party.

Miyako, yes _Miyako_, looked at herself in the mirror as she finger combed her now russet brown chin length hair, only to sigh longingly as blue contacts kept meeting her gaze instead of the natural purple.

Despite those two factors though she felt a little like herself again, or well, as close as she could get to herself when she was hiding her true nature from her own master in an elaborate scheme to protect his feelings.

The changes done to her outside appearance included the new, straight russet brown locks, the blue eyes, and the reinstatement of her previous outfit minus the leggings and the fishnet shirt and in the royal blue color that represented Suna with matching veil over her mouth.

Other outside involuntary changes included deathly paleness that came with sickness, lankier limbs and bruise like shadows rimming her eyes.

There was no way the siblings, much less any of Suna, would recognize her as her old self.

The sound of cheers outside interrupted her scrutiny of herself in the mirror. She slowly moved to the window by her bedside, her bare feet slapping on the wood lightly and peered at the endings of the formal ceremony outside, from a distance of course.

After a few minutes she stepped away and with one last longing look to the mirror she made her way outside.

G/M

This was the last thing she expected.

'Do not squeal, do _not_ squeal.' She thought as she held onto a strong bicep firmly.

The sand sphere they were in was dark and they couldn't necessarily _speak_, so the only sounds were their nearly in-sync breaths, one of which was hitting her temple and sending delicious shivers down her spine.

In explanation, they were hiding from some of the Kazekage's amorous ninja fangirls who had nearly flipped shit at seeing him with some masked mysterious woman and decided to chase the two of them.

'And the night was going so well before, not that being almost molded to Gaara's side isn't just as amazing.' Just thinking about the earlier events had Miyako, or ehem, Ai, smiling stupidly in the darkness.

G/M

The party was in full swing by the time she'd made it down, women and men dancing and talking animatedly. Many of which were desperately trying to make conversation with the stoic looking Kazekage somewhere in the middle of the crowd. Miyako laughed a pitying chuckle as she made her way over to the refreshment table.

She surveyed the punch with a critical eye and then subtly sniffed it when she thought no one was looking.

"Don't worry, the punch isn't spiked…much."

Had she not been around ninja nearly all her life she might've jumped at the abrupt sound of his voice, but since she had and she also knew this voice, she simply turned around with a famous eyebrow arch and feigned innocence of his identity.

"I'd hope not, I'm still too young to drink." She commented wryly, scrutinizing the man before her with a flirtatious twinkle.

Kankuro was surprisingly paint-less and hoodless for the occasion, though he still had on an all-black ensemble and a cautious look that wouldn't fade unless he retired or died.

"But thanks for the heads up…" she trailed off suggestively waiting for the man to fill in the blanks she already knew.

"Kankuro and the lovely lady might be?"

She held out to shake and was only slightly surprised when he kissed it; she knew that the boy had some charm in him if only he tried hard enough.

"Ai, a pleasure to meet you Kankuro-san."

"And you as well, but you must tell me what a beautiful young lady such as yourself is doing all alone on such an occasion?"

"It's tragic really, but I could not acquire a date."

"With the way the male population is eying you as you pass I'm sure you could snatch one right up if you so pleased."

She sent him a beaming eye smile, "I may have…extravagant tastes."

He sent a smoldering one back, and Miyako had to wonder in her head why he didn't ditch the war paint more often, he was very attractive without it.

"Well you've come to the right man Ai-chan, you may not know this, but I am the Kazekage's brother."

She pretended to be amazed by this fact; internally she was wondering how many times he'd used that pick up women.

"Really?" She made sure to sound as charmed as possible, hooking her arm into his and making sure to stare up at him in complete fascination.

"Yes, I could introduce you if you'd like?"

It was almost laughable how easy it was to breach into Gaara's little personal ring, Kankuro was just lucky she wasn't an enemy ninja.

"Lead the way handsome." She purred despite how wrong it sounded to say to _Kankuro_ of all people.

The made their way to the real handsome one of the three in no time, Kankuro parting the crowd around him to reveal his wary but carefully veiled sea foam eyes to the two approaching.

"Kazekage, meet Ai, Ai meet my brother the Kazekage."

Miyako refrained from giggling girlishly or sighing longingly as he focused his gaze on her, as impassive as it was.

"Hello." He gave her a small head nod.

"It's an honor Kazekage-sama." She bowed as she ought to before straightening up rigidly and doing her very best _not_ to look him in the eyes lest she melt.

He was in formal Kazekage robes that draped his body and gave him a powerful aura of dominance over all and his Kazekage hat that cast a shadow over his eyes that sharpened the hue and added to the overall intimidation.

It was so _freakin_ hot.

Other women thought so too, sighing outright and gazing steadfastly.

If it wouldn't have gotten her a few looks she would've glared holes into each and every one of those women's bodies. 'He's mine you insignificant hussies!' Inner Miyako raged, throwing a tantrum in her head that played out in her imagination as her becoming a giant and trampling all over every female around Gaara.

"May I have this dance?" She broke out of her thoughts to look curiously at Kankuro for a moment that is until she heard one of the catchier tunes of Suna playing and many couples shaking it appropriately, and inappropriately, to the pop song.

He desperately wanted to say no and compel Gaara to dance with her, but she neither had the magic nor the heart to manipulate him like that.

She danced with Kankuro for the next two songs and was having a relatively good time dancing with the goofy sand sibling; she would've been having an even better time if those trolling little tramps weren't all over her master in an attempt to dance with him.

Temari saved her during the slight pause between songs, pulling Kankuro off to Kami-knows-where while yelling in his ear about irresponsibility. The DJ announced that the next song was for the "plutonic dates", she assumed that the DJ meant to create some future couples with this tactic, but seeing as she was dateless and the only person she wanted to be in a future relationship with was nowhere in sight she would just skip this song.

She made her way back towards the punch table eying the crowds for Gaara or an insane grouping of women which would also signal Gaara. Surprisingly she did not find them by sight but by ear.

"Kyaa~, a slow song! Kazekage-sama would you please dance with me?"

"Why would he want to dance with you when he could dance with me!?"

"Oh please, please, please won't you dance with me Kazekage-sama?"

"Shut up, it's obvious that the Kazekage needs someone much more experienced, which is why he'll be dancing with me!"

That last one really freaked her out, and she could only imagine how Gaara felt being in the middle of all of that. And while she could argue that he really didn't feasibly need her help, after all this would be his life from now on, he couldn't exactly escape for polite and practical reasons.

Plus ignoring her master's silent pleas for help went against her very nature, coupled with the fact that she loved him and absolutely despised fangirls and she had her motivations.

"Kazekage-sama?" Gaara's eye twitched minutely at the title as he turned to look at her with suspicious and guarded eyes.

"Erm, Kankuro-san said he needed you for something urgently, but that he unfortunately had to hurry to the destination and sent me to res-escort you."

Gaara's impassive face gave nothing away, but she wasn't an idiot, she could tell that he was internally thanking every deity he knew the name of for her presence.

"Very well." He turned to the pouting young and older ladies with a faux look of regret. "I apologize for my hasty retreat ladies; I hope you enjoy the rest of the festivities."

Then they were walking away, Gaara with a huge sigh of relief and Miyako with a serious expression and inner happy dance.

'Haha! Eat your heart out creepy fangirls and old ladies! Gaara is mine, mine mine!'

"Where is Kankuro?" Gaara finally asked after they were a good meters away from his raging hormone pack.

She gave a sly grin that was translated in the mischievous twinkling of her eyes. "I don't know." She answered all too innocently.

His sharp gaze was redirected to her in suspicious prying. "Then why-?"

"You looked like you were about to drown in fangirl drool, a horrible death if I do say so myself, so I decided to save you."

He went quiet, a depressing turn of events for Miyako and gave her a dubious look as if he didn't quite trust her. In theory he shouldn't considering he didn't even know who she was and had technically never met her until now, but tell her heart that.

"Thank you." He finally sighed when they'd reached the dark edges of the party.

"No problem. Well now that you're free-"

Miyako's sudden abrupt end and impromptu glare had Gaara raising a non-existent eyebrow.

"It's seems your fangirls don't trust me either."

Gaara realized she was glaring over his shoulder and sure enough the vast majority of women near the outskirts of the party were staring at the two, more like glaring at Miyako and staring adoringly at Gaara.

"Dance with me." Gaara said abruptly when he turned back around to face her.

"Wha-?"

"I thought you didn't want me to drown in fangirl drool?" He quipped with a small tilt of the lips.

Her brain short circuited for all of point two seconds before it registered in her brain that if she didn't dance with Gaara those ridiculous excuses for women would pounce on him causing her to commit mass murder…

"Of course." She seized his hand and shoulder quickly in a borderline possessive grip that if Gaara noticed, he did not comment on.

"I'm not a very good dancer." He warned prematurely as his hand came to rest softly on her hip.

"That's alright; it has to be better than possibly getting groped."

"You are groped when you dance with other men?"

"What?" Her face was alight in embarrassment in less than sixty seconds. "N-no! I meant you and the fangirls-" She stopped before she could further put her foot in her mouth and settled for looking at his chest rather than his cutely confused face.

"How am I to know that you won't grope me then?"

Correction, her face can heat up in less than thirty seconds.

"I just met you!" She cried outraged, glaring up into teasing sea foam eyes.

Wait.

"Y-You're just messing with me." She deflated with a huff, but inside she was malfunctioning because Gaara had just **made a joke**.

"Don't sound so surprised, did you think that because I am Kazekage that I am boring?"

She stuttered and floundered for something to appease the situation but when she looked back up into his eyes she found that he was once again giving her a tilt of the lips and mischief filled eyes signature of his teasing, apparently.

"Well." She huffed, one because she was surprised, twice, by the person she was supposed to know the best, and two because she was being out-charmed when she was supposed to be the charming one this evening.

"You're quite the character aren't you?" She purred with a mocking edge.

He shrugged noncommittally, swinging her around to face the darkness instead of the gaping women.

It was then that she realized that they had been dancing the whole entire time.

'How…did he do that? I'm either worse off than I thought, or he's managed to change so much without my knowledge that I can't even keep up anymore. Both of those thoughts are depressing.'

The slow song finished, with Gaara spinning her on the last few notes and then dipping her dangerously.

"K-Kazekage-sama!" She hissed in disbelief, instinctively wrapping her arms around the redhead's neck to keep her balance and trying to ignore the murderous stares she could feel boring into her back.

He straightened them both at the sound of applause and stared at Miyako impassively while she attempted to rid herself of her blush.

"That wasn't too bad." He remarked when she could finally muster up the courage to look him in the face again.

"Sure, sure, it's not like _you_ were the one getting glared at the whole entire time." She groused playfully while secretly she welcomed the jealousy with a triumphant face.

When he didn't say anything she continued. "So Kazekage-sama, are you quite done with me for the night?"

Another quirk of the lips was rewarded her with the answer, "I believe-"

"Kazekage-sama dance with me next!"

"No, the next song is mine! We played rock-paper-scissors for it!"

"Foolish children, trivial games matter little in love! Kazekage-sama will surely yield to my worldly experience."

Miyako kept her eye twitches in check, though it was hard when sixty-something year old women were chasing after her master.

"I believe that you owe me another dance." He finished, as if he wasn't previously going to say "I believe so."

"There's no music playing." She reminded him teasingly. "And they look like they're about to take action on who dances with you right now."

"Save me?" His voice was an inch from a plea and his eyes actually sang of desperation.

Miyako analyzed the situation: from what it looked like there was at least twenty women all gathered nearby and more than half of them looked to be kunoichi, with at least one half being Jounin level.

"Run?"

"Too suspicious, and I can't run from my own party it would be an insult to the elders and to my siblings."

Miyako rolled her eyes at his points, but mid-rotation she caught sight of Kankuro talking animatedly to a pretty young girl and Temari standing close to…Shikamaru in the darkness.

"C'mon," She ribbed, "as if you really care that the elders will be insulted. What are they going to do? They already know that you are the strongest ninja of this village; anyone they get to replace you will pale in comparison. Plus, it's _your_ party; shouldn't that mean that you get to do whatever you want? Even leave whenever you want?"

"My siblings-"

"I really think that your siblings could care less what you do at this point." She pointed out, literally.

Gaara narrowed his eyes a little at the sight of his sister talking to Shikamaru, but completely ignored Kankuro.

"Well?"

"Walk briskly."

Miyako was beside herself if her grinning eyes said anything and with more confidence than she thought possible she seized Gaara's hand and began to "walk briskly" away.

G/M

"Remember that this was your idea."

She couldn't see him too well from her perch on top of the wall separating Suna from the rest of the desert but she knew without a doubt that he was rolling his eyes at her.

Gaara proved to be impatient when she hesitated on jumping from the wall and so made the choice easier for her.

Since Miyako was so used to the sand she didn't even question why she was suddenly falling along the side of the wall, nor why said sand rose to meet her with a soft grainy landing.

She did try to sound winded though, "alright, I'm questioning why so many girls like you if you prove to be this aggressive all the time."

The sand dropped her softly, and she cursed herself quietly when Gaara turned away from her. So much for being funny and charming on their sort-of first date then.

"Hey, you know what this place needs?" She chewed her lip nervously as Gaara still didn't meet her eyes. "A beach." She joked quietly and silently praised herself as Gaara turned around.

"Why?" He murmured though he made to sound disinterested.

"Well," she took a hesitant step toward him, "we've got all this sand, why not have some water to go with it? It would probably make living in the desert just a little bit more bearable for some people."

"Water makes the sand all muddy, I don't like it." He contributed quietly.

"Understandable," another step, "but then Suna could monopolize the market on tourism and bathing suits if we had a beach the size of this desert." She took yet another step, but Gaara must've not been all that observant if his curious look was anything to go by.

"Just because of a beach?"

"Oh yeah, although," she skipped a few steps until she was right next to him and leaned forward conspiratorially, "you'd have to deal with seeing all of your fangirls in bathing suits, even the old and wrinkly ones." She stage whispered.

His eyes widened comically, the mere thoughts looking to scare him shitless.

"Maybe the desert is fine as it is." He suggested. "You don't like living in Suna?"

She leaned away, although it took a lot of willpower, "No I like it. It was just an idea. Don't you ever wonder about the other countries?"

Gaara looked up momentarily to the moon, as if it could give it the knowledge he sought.

"Sometimes, more so now that I am Kazekage."

Miyako nodded and with a sigh plopped down onto the sand, Gaara following suit with another curious look.

"Running from your fangirls is tiring, that in itself is enough ninja training."

"I've never had this problem before." He put in.

She turned her head to look at him, his tone throwing her off with the severity. She saw that his eyes were looking at her but not really looking at her, half torn between reminiscence and challenging, as if he wanted her to say all of the negative things he was sure to be thinking.

"I don't see why not, you're a very handsome young man." She said with half sincerity and half mocking of Gaara's older suitors.

He looked dissatisfied, but he didn't press and they sat in companionable silence until the moon was high in the sky.

"You should probably go back, and not just to coddle your suitors but to pacify the council and, well, everyone else."

He sighed laboriously and rose, his hand held out to her in a kind gesture.

She took it and did **not** sigh lovingly; the night had helped her practice keeping her emotions well in check around her master.

They walked back caught up in unspoken thoughts and parted ways once over the gate.

G/M

"_I've never had this problem before." _

_She turned her head to look at him, his tone throwing her off with the severity. She saw that his eyes were looking at her but not really looking at her, half torn between reminiscence and challenging, as if he wanted her to say all of the negative things he was sure to be thinking. _

"_I hardly understand the reasoning behind that; you're handsome, kind, generous, serious, a little stoic but surprisingly funny. All you need is someone to open up to, the village is starting to see some of these things; starting to get past the fa__ç__ade of the past and see the real you, all you really need now is to let some of those things that you're afraid of becoming out of yourself." _

_For once Miyako got a reaction that she liked from Gaara, absolutely stunned. _

"_How…do you know these things? You couldn't have observed all of these things in the short span we've known each other." _

_Miyako chuckled, "yet another trait that makes you attractive, intelligence. You could say that I've known you for a bit longer than a few hours." _

"_Who are you?" Gaara breathed, slightly suspicious, but more so anticipatory. _

_In a bout of confidence Miyako didn't possess unless in fantasy or pretending to be someone she wasn't entirely, she ripped off her mask and uprooted her whole entire fake identity._

_He looked stunned, again, and she took the opportunity to take something from him before he decided her fate. _

_His lips, even when slackened in shock, were still as electrifyingly delicious as she remembered from their far too brief kiss some months ago. _

_When she pulled apart from him he looked a little dazed, sea foam searching purple with confusion. _

"_You're alive." Was all he said before she was crushed into his chest and held there for what felt like an immeasurable amount of time. _

G/M

The streets of Suna were darkened and littered with party favors and other celebratory items, the din of the festivities having long since passed.

It was so quiet in fact that if anyone listened carefully they could hear the clatter of an apartment near the Kazekage mansion as a formerly sleeping Miyako rose from slumber.

She panted loudly and tried to calm her beating heart and after several moments was successful in quieting the organ.

"As if." She breathed once, before coughing harshly into her hand.

"Him killing me is likelier." She sighed out the monologue and then succumbed to sleep again.

G/M

**Sorry I didn't get this out last week, but my internet was shot at school and I just got an Ethernet cord to fix the problem. But you should be really glad that I got this out within two weeks instead of two months! It was looking likely that that was going to be the case at first, but I buckled down and made it happen. Go me! **

**Just so you know, none of you guessed right in your review. Except TMC, she was sort of close. Don't be mad at me –hides-. I'll try to update when I have more free time, but don't hold your breath. Seriously, you might die. **

**Sassy, Fascinating Acronym**.


	16. Purgatory Territoy

A/N: Chapter 16 is here! Do you know what that means? That means that we get to see how Miyako reacts to Gaara being attacked by Akatsuki! I'm partially excited but I'm also partially dreading it, so for that reason I will tell you right now that I will _not_ be going into detail about the fight between Deidara and Gaara. Most of it will be from Miyako's point of view and the crap she has to deal with while all this is happening. You should also be excited, just as I am, about the revelation of the foreshadowing of chapter 14!

Reviewer love time!

Red X17: Heck yes! Best filler chapter ever you say? I thank you my good woman. Or man, I'm just taking a guess here.

Flatwaffles29: Uh… I promise that the story won't end with Miyako's death? Keep in mind that that doesn't mean she's _not_ going to die or anything, especially if you make it to the end of this chapter and you send me a death threat. It's kind of in the title anyway…Purgatory Territory…

REDRydingHood: Thanks! And thanks for the advice; I promise not to stress myself out this semester so I can finish this love story!

TMC-Yuki: Glad to know that you don't mind waiting…because you're going to have to wait….no longer! Haha, see what I did there? In response to your second PM, I hope you like this chapter

Sky65: Man…that was the longest review ever. I love it! Thank you for the story love, in concerns to your Miyako magic problems…all will be revealed in this chapter; hopefully you won't have too many concerns. Miyako would also like to thank you for seeing how loveable she is; now if only Gaara could see that as well…sigh.

imadevil247: You are the nicest devil ever.

.Tragedist: Er…thanks? Appreciate the review!

Quoted: Heck yes she did!

Guest: THANK YOU!

La: You shall soon have your wish La, just be patient.

Alright, disclaimer time, Miyako?

Miyako: I am a genie, but even I can't grant the wish that SFA has to own Naruto, that would be against the rules.

SFA: -grumble- So this fanfic will have to settle for now. Boo.

**Bold **means memories

_Italics _means dreams

Underline means actions and dialogue in the real world.

On with the story.

Purgatory Territory

The following few years were as happy as they could be, Gaara was making a fine Kazekage, the village wasn't putting up too much of a fuss and Raccoon was managing to keep up her facade of being completely healthy.

But all good things must eventually come to an end.

It started out as a surprisingly good day, Gaara was in his office doing paperwork and occasionally chatting with Raccoon about things that were of no consequence to pass the time, Chuunin carriers would occasionally come in and out with more paperwork or news of this that and the other, until _it_ came.

A knock on the door, hurried and tinged with excitement, and Gaara was looking up to Raccoon, who nodded her head once and he bid the Chuunin enter.

"Kazekage-sama a message from the Hokage."

Miyako held out her hand, briefly skimmed her finger over the parchment before deeming it safe and thusly handing it to Gaara.

He broke the seal easily and boredly, and so it seemed that the Chuunin's excitement was not understood nor shared by the Kazekage.

He skimmed it briefly, stopped, re-read it, finished and then carefully placed the scroll on his desk.

"Thank you, you may exit now I will begin writing a letter immediately."

The Chuunin bowed and left, confused as to why Gaara was not as excited as he had been upon hearing the gossip spread among the village. Maybe it was something bad then?

"Can you talk about it?" Raccoon suggested leisurely when the Chuunin exited.

"Yes."

She waited a few beats before asking the inevitable question.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He didn't answer immediately.

"Is it bad?" She continued to pry gently.

"I'm sure…it's not, but I just have…mixed feelings about it."

"You don't have to talk about it-"

"Uzumaki Naruto has returned to Konoha."

She smirked under her mask at how patented and fool-proof her methods were of prying into Gaara's life and continued to question him.

"Uzumaki Naruto-san… I was informed once that he was your best friend. What troubles you about his return?"

Gaara pursed his lips and looked far off into space, "I'm not sure. I am certainly happy that he has returned…but what if he's different? What if he's changed?"

She wanted to assure Gaara that she doubted Naruto had changed at all; he was generally too much of a nice kid to change his personality in a negative and drastic way.

"Negatively you mean?"

"Yes."

"Do you really believe that he could? After all from what I've heard he's the one who apparently…changed you, so it doesn't seem logical that he himself would change."

Gaara didn't say anything to the idea, but that was because he was thinking and all Raccoon had to do was patiently wait.

He let out a sigh. "You're right; strangely enough you are always right about these things." If he thought it was really strange he sure didn't sound like it, nor did he sound suspicious or curious about this fact, only further proving that he respected her and her abilities to some degree.

The rest of the day up to the incident was spent doing the boring things; in fact Raccoon was so bored out of her mind with her master's unnatural quietness that she herself was wishing something exciting would happen.

G/M

By exciting this is not what she meant.

"We're losing her fast!"

"Give her a shock."

Her body jolting from the bed was numb, and no matter how many volts of electricity they shot through her none of it could purge the haze her body was in.

"Any other suggestions Doctor?"

"Tell the Council to start looking for a new head ANBU immediately that is if we even still have a Kazekage."

The gravity of the situation was lost on her; all she could think was:

'He's gone, he's gone and it's my entire fault. I let that stupid blonde bomber take him and now he's in pain and dying and it's my fault.'

Realistically there was nothing she could've done about it. Gaara had _ordered_ her to shelter the civilians and aid the Jounin in any other attacks while he took care of the blonde, and although she would have completely disobeyed him within a heartbeat under normal circumstances, those being if he had known she was a genie and or if he even slightly believed in such things any longer, the fact of the matter was that she was not only powerless to stop the terrorist, she was also stuck in her position that dictated that she wasn't to go against the Kazekage's orders, _ever, _even if she completely disagreed with them.

Really her own cowardice was the reason she was choking on her own blood; why the sickness was suddenly eating her from the inside out. It felt like her master's very own sand was wrapped around her heart and other major organs and was sand-coffining them to death causing body jolting coughs of blood, terrible ear-splitting migraines, blurry, swimming vision and a temperature so high that her body was sweating out all of the water it seemingly had just to keep from lighting itself on fire.

And that was just from the increasing distance being put between them.

The stomach wound, though not as deep as originally presumed and easily healed, was not helping and with her incessant squirming to find some relief among the thousands of aches and pains; the stitches had split open to spill out her life substance in a brilliant pool of red.

With each passing second her face was sinking in, her skin grew paler, and nearly every drop of what kept her in semi-immortal status was being slowly drained from her.

The pain wasn't what was on her mind though; truly all she could think was the suffering Gaara would soon endure until he was brought swiftly to a death undeserved.

'I'd give anything to break rules and spend his last wish to bring him back to the village that needs and loves him, even forsake all immortality and die.'

Well she was on her way to doing just that already, but like any creature she did not enjoy copious amounts of pain and wished that it would happen quickly; that if she was damned to be useless to Gaara and allow him to die than she might as well get it over with already.

Despite this she did not cry; she did not scream. She wondered if it was stronger to do so or if it just proved what the past nearly four years did, that she was nothing but a coward.

G/M

"**You've hardly touched your tea; see something you like out there?" Raccoon asked, pretending to examine her nails while she was really studying her master out of the corner of her eye. **

**Suna's sun was setting, painting the whole village in a golden glow and as a consequence her already beautiful master was made even more radiant with the light shimmering in through the windows. **

**He didn't answer immediately although she expected he would say something short and dismissive, anything that involved her even slightly worrying over him was met with this practice. **

**Unexpectedly she felt some malignant chakra at the same time that Gaara ordered her to evacuate the building in a stealthy fashion. **

**She didn't have the rights to question nor argue with him though she really would've liked to. Who told him that she'd just stand idly by and let him fight whatever it was out there **_**alone**_**? Just the thought of it made her shiver uncomfortably. **

**As if he could sense that she'd get this task done quickly he gave out several orders in quick succession. **

"**After that I want you to clear out the village as best you can to safety, and then check the village for any other intruders. I will take care of this." **

**Had she been anyone else, in any other position and not blindly loyal to him she would've ground her teeth at his pig-headed stubbornness and disobeyed him within a heartbeat. She couldn't and so went forth to do as she'd been ordered. **

**Rallying together the majority of the staff in the Kazekage building had been fairly easy with the added help of Fox, Weasel and Cat. Weasel and Cat were ordered to lead the staff into safe territory while Tiger, the head of the Suna ANBU, ordered Fox and Raccoon's assistance in flushing out the spy amongst the Suna's Council. **

"**Of course, there's no way this threat would've gotten in otherwise. Who is the traitor Tiger, I'm sure Raccoon and I can surely make his title past tense." **

**Despite the situation Raccoon had to hold back a grin from overtaking her face. After the initial misunderstanding with Cat, Fox and Raccoon had become something akin to friends, in that they were constantly challenging each other to perform duties the fastest, best others in swordplay or see who could make the most kills. A slightly uncouth way to deal with their jobs, but they preferred to be optimistic; this was one of the rare times that they weren't challenging each other and genuinely just wanting to kick some ass knowing the other had your back. **

"**Yuura." **

"**I knew there was something wrong with that guy." Fox grumbled quietly as we halted in the shadows of the door to the council room, waiting for Tiger's signal with baited breaths. **

**Raccoon couldn't really hear what was going on at Tiger's right and Fox looked just as confused at his left, but they soon found their answer. **

"**It's too quiet." Tiger didn't say this aloud but his motions spoke for themselves.**

"**What should we do?" Fox motioned. **

"**Follow." Tiger crooked his finger and the three were quietly slipping inside undetected and looking around in carefully masked horror. **

**Several of the Suna Council members, specifically the older few, were lying dying or already dead scattered all around the council room, Yuura was locked in a silent clash with Baki off center of the room. **

**Fox made a move to aid Baki, but Tiger halted him with one hand signal and another motioning to aid the injured first all while keeping a careful eye on the fight. **

**Half of the room was cleared when Yuura finally got the better of Baki with speed and managed to knock him to the ground, his kunai positioned for another deadly downward slash soon following. **

**Raccoon acted upon impulse only. **

**It was funny how before she'd identified herself as Raccoon she'd been Miyako and Baki had threatened her with much worse than he was receiving now, and yet here she was **_**saving**_**him from certain death. **

**She knocked into Yuura, sending his kunai off course, but unfortunately at the cost of it grazing her stomach instead. **

**She hissed but didn't pause in her onslaught for him to get even a beat of a thought in and, seizing his arm in an iron grip and using just the right amount of brute force and critical strikes, broke it.**

**She had to give it to the man for having such a high tolerance of pain and he still looked raring and ready to tear her head off even using his one good arm to possibly strike at her. **

**Raccoon was just as ready to break that arm as well, but a sudden fatigue not her own washed over her and put her in a dizzy haze. **

'**Gaara? What's going on? What's wrong? I have to get out there and…' **

**A howl broke her out her self-created panic attack and she came back to the present to find Yuura clutching a stub that was formerly his left arm. **

"**You are no longer the Kazekage's right arm and for your betrayal you deserve even more than what we could give to you." **

**Well when he said that Raccoon felt like she had to deliver more than a **_**broken **_**right arm and so stole Fox's already bloody sword to swiftly and cleanly cut off the other. **

**Yuura, armless and crying out in immense pain fell to the ground in a kneel. Tiger, who had been watching the two from afar sauntered up and scrutinized the man behind his mask. **

**Raccoon silently held out the sword to Tiger when he looked upon her, an offer, "**_**you the highest among us who live to serve the Kages" **_**was how many ANBU leaders' title was often explained was followed up by the silent thought **_**in the name of the betrayed Kazekage so have the honor to finish the traitor. **_

**Tiger knew his mantle well, clasping his fingers loosely around the hilt of the sword, examining it's weight with a critical eye and took a breath. **

**Both Raccoon and Fox thought he would grace the air with prudent and final parting words to the soon-to-be-dead but the almost abrupt way he decapitated the man was just as satisfying. **

**Perhaps, they thought, Tiger thought he didn't deserve any last wishes or thoughts nevertheless any parting words from him. **

**At the completion of this task Raccoon's head was back in full Gaara-worrying mode and she frantically rushed to check the status of those around her. **

"**Raccoon, we've got those afflicted here, if you so wish you may take your chances disobeying our Kazekage's orders. However I have advice to give to you before you depart." **

**Tiger's voice kind of reminded her of Lion's, in fact Tiger himself reminded her of Lion in a lot of ways, they both barely spoke, they both had positions high in the ANBU food chain and they both generally seemed to care about what happened to her. **

**Had she not been so busy she would've taken the time to be suspicious. **

"**You know better than anyone our Kazekage's strength and strong will, so I ask that if you go to aid him you keep in mind these qualities that you know so well." And then she was shooed off. **

**She quickly shot off, her mind barely comprehending the words as she raced across the village so fast that she barely noted that Gaara was not on ground but in the sky. **

**She shot her gaze upward slowing her mad trek to gaze up in wonder. **

**The whole world was dark. **

"**What…" **

**A large boom shook the ground with tremors, but not enough to throw her or the people around her off balance and she began to wonder what kind of enemy her master was facing up against. **

"**Thank Kami Kazekage-sama erected this barrier around us, that blonde bomber would've surely decimated the village with that large bomb of his." A nearby female voice whispered. Raccoon silently thanked Kami for her master, his selfless brains and convenient gossiping villagers. **

**She also had to curse him for always vying to leave her in the dark though, both literally and figuratively. Although she knew that Gaara wasn't too seriously injured, she still didn't like not knowing what he was facing up against. **

**She hoped that he'd come out of this, know she had to **_**know **_**that he'd come out of this, because if this attacker had as much power as nearby gossiping villagers claimed he had she wouldn't stand a chance. **

**The wait was agitating but the sand finally crumbling seemed like a beacon of hope trickling down on their heads. **

**If only hope weren't such a bitch. **

**Due to Raccoon's progressively worsening sickness her comprehension was slower than the norm, about ten times really, and so she could not at first properly register the beige blonde and red blob as it swiftly glided away.**

**She only realized it was Gaara held captive by said bomb menace too late, as spots began to dance across her eyes and her vision tunneled out. **

**The villagers will attest that she puked up quite a bit of blood before fainting but she could remember none of it, all she could remember was:**

'**Tiger wanted me to aid Gaara only if he was in grave danger…that's what he meant…it's too bad I didn't catch on quick enough.' **

G/M

The entirety of Suna hospital looked pityingly at Room 139 as a patient screamed and screamed in between loud wails and sobs.

Inside several doctors blocked out the nose entirely as they tried to figure out just what was happening to the patient.

"Is it a seizure?"

"Her spasms certainly suggest so, but this isn't like a seizure I've ever experienced."

"Calm her with your chakra, nurse."

"I've already tried doctor; her body only seems to reject any sort of chakra that isn't her own."

"What?!"

"What the hell is this ANBU hiding?"

Raccoon, the current mystery of many Suna doctors, could hear everything that was said, but to her it simply sounded like a muffled haze to her master's painful cries echoing over and over and over…

That was the real reason she was screaming out so and why her body was convulsing as if _she_ was having a Jinchuriki extracted from her, because every cry, every pain and every minute was an excruciatingly sharp reminder of failure…failure…_failure_.

Gaara was going to die. Gaara was dying and so was she and she briefly wondered what would happen at her death as her eyes slipped closed.

G/M

"_**And now for your most important lesson Miyako, magic." **_

_**Said girl titled her head in confusion at the old man, Hideaki, as he smiled good-naturedly, as if he hadn't just spoken complete nonsense. **_

"_**Erm…Hideaki-sensei, why would you need to teach me magic again? I thought you said that I could only learn so much before being taken on by a master?" **_

_**The elderly graying red head laughed amusedly, his short stature hunching as his shoulders shook. **_

"_**Hey!" A pretty white-kimono-clad Miyako objected, stomping her foot for added effect. **_

"_**I apologize silly little child." He finished his chortles and with fresh eyes looked at her once again. **_

_**This Miyako had shoulder-length lightly curled black hair, sharp and lively purple eyes with lightly tanned skin just visible on her ankles and wrists if peeked when she gestured wildly with her long, flowing white wedding kimono designed with simple white fabrics that belled at the sleeves and billowed at the feet with happy blue birds dancing along the perimeter where the dress met the ground. **_

_**Currently said beautiful craftsmanship was sprinkled with dirt at the bodice and caked with the stuff on the bell sleeves and rim. **_

"_**Well Hideaki-sensei?" She prodded impatiently when he still had not revealed his meaning. **_

"_**Ah, I'm sorry an old man's mind wanders…" He did not want to admit that he was admiring her beauty. "Nevertheless, I do not mean to reteach you skills you already know, but to teach you the information behind such skills." **_

_**Miyako's head titled to the side cutely, making Hideaki laugh and pat the ground in front of him. **_

"_**Go on sit, this will be a long discussion." **_

_**So she obeyed, her dress fluttering about her as she sat and stared at her sensei intently, bent on learning whatever he had to offer. **_

"_**Do you know what powers magic Miyako?" **_

_**She thought on the question, her face scrunching in thought as she wracked her brain. **_

"_**Is it the combination of spiritual and physical energy? Like, erm, the will of the person? Or-or maybe it has to do with the mind-" **_

_**His laughter cut her off again and she pouted much like a child. **_

"_**Sensei!" She whined, annoyed. **_

"_**Forgive me again." He asked, wiping a tear from his eye. **_

"_**So what is it then?" She demanded, assuming her guesses were completely wrong if his laughter was anything to go by. **_

"_**Emotion." He answered simply. **_

"_**Eh? Really?" **_

"_**Yes." He looked at her expectantly. **_

"_**How does that apply to being a genie?" She sighed out the question. **_

"_**Simple!" He chuckled. "You are already aware that genies are cut from the same cloth as other magic users, but in other areas drastically different. For instance, you already know that when you receive your first master your strength will depend on their strength, but did you also know that your strength will also depend on your relationship with your master?" **_

"_**My relationship? Oh I get it! Emotionally, but how does this affect my magic use? You said before that a genie's main purpose is to serve and protect their master, so isn't it a flaw then to make my strength hinge on my emotional bond to my master?" **_

"_**Why should it be a flaw if not an extra strength? You will have to protect your master to the best of your ability no matter what, but emotion will make the hard magic easier to wield and access." **_

"_**So any emotion? But what if I absolutely despise my master?" **_

"_**There is no doubt that you will come across a master who you will not like Miyako, but having hatred for your master will not make you any less able to protect them, just weaker than your emotions permit you." **_

"_**Alright, so negative emotions, like hatred, will make me only less powerful?"**_

"_**Correct."**_

"_**So then the positive emotions, happiness, will make me more powerful?"**_

"_**Yes, and do you know what the most powerful magic of all is?" The old man was smiling a cheesy sinister smile at the girl who paled more and more as she thought about it.**_

"_**No…you're kidding…you can't mean…"**_

"_**Love." **_

"_**But that's insane!" She burst out patiently, even going so far as to rise in her outburst, her arms flailing in disbelief. **_

"_**And why do you say that Miyako?" **_

"_**Because how can I bring myself to…" She practically choked on the word. "Love…my master? They will be my master for Pete's sake!" **_

"_**Miyako you remember when I said that you will certainly meet a master that you will dislike?" **_

"_**Yes." She huffed, crossing her arms.**_

"_**You should also know that you will certainly meet a master kind enough that you will actually **_**love**_**." **_

"_**How can I bring myself to love someone if they rule over me? If I have to do everything they say?" **_

"_**You will find that some masters will be reasonable while others aren't; that some will be selfless and kind while others selfish and cruel and all the things in between. Miyako, remember, just like you and I, your masters will be humans and humans come in all different forms. You cannot penalize the majority for the minority or vice versa." **_

"_**So you're saying all those corny fairytales are true then? That love can conquer anything? That you need another person to complete yourself?" **_

_**Hideaki smiled sadly at the fuming girl as her eyes grew dark and her normally grinning face set itself into a grim line. **_

"_**Yes." He answered simply. **_

"_**Then you are even more of a fool than I was." She whispered quietly as she searched his eyes for some lie. When she found none she frowned deeper still and swooped away, silently saying that the lesson was over. **_

_**G/M **_

"_**We have to broach this subject." **_

_**The previously exhausted, from practice of energy spells, looking Miyako quickly sat up and glared, her body winding up from fatigue faster than Hideaki thought possible. **_

"_**No. I told you that it's stupid and never going to happen." **_

"_**You need to know just in case." **_

_**She made a move to hop up but was back on the ground before she could even execute, Hideaki having quickly snatched her down back to the dirt with a stern look. **_

"_**Humor me." He said darkly. **_

_**She'd never heard him that serious before and so she obeyed, albeit reluctantly. **_

_**With a heavy sigh he began. **_

"_**Love is the most powerful magic there is and despite what you may believe, a genie can grow to love their master and vice versa." **_

_**He continued on with an inward sigh at gauging her expression, blank, flat and dark purple eyes that were staring through him instead of at. **_

"_**Do you know what happens when a master dies before their genie can fulfill all their wishes?" **_

_**She recited the answer like a textbook, although a little curious to see where this could possibly be going. "They fade and are said to become part of nature in the form of the element that embodied their master until they are reborn and they too are reborn with them." **_

_**Miyako watched Hideaki's face form a little smile. "Very good and it's not so bad a punishment to become an element in nature until your master is reborn is it?" **_

"_**No…" She said suspiciously, her look still guarded against where this strange lesson could take her. **_

_**Hideaki's look fell shortly, his eyes straying to the side sadly as if the topic made him physically ache. **_

"_**Do you know what happens to a genies when a master they love dies without fulfilling all of their wishes?" **_

"We're losing her." 

"_**No." She replied shortly.**_

"Her heart rate is going a mile a minute." 

"_**Do you want to know?" Hideaki asked thickly.**_

"Hold her down!" 

"_**You said I should, so tell me. What are you afraid of?" **_

"Doctor I think I may have found the problem." 

"_**A genie that outlives a master they love…becomes a guardian soul." **_

"What is it?"

"_**What's a guardian soul?" Miyako asked as expected of her. **_

"It appears that her chakra circulatory system is…attacking her internal organs."

"_**A guardian soul is a genie whose soul separates from their body…"**_

"…How? How do we…fix this? I've never heard…dear Kami-sama have mercy on this poor woman, what is she?" 

"…_**And roams the earth until they find their master's grave…"**_

"I don't know…but there's nothing we can do…" 

"…_**When they find it, they sit by it..."**_

Beep. 

"…_**And guard it from harm forever, never to be together with their master ever again and forced to weep endlessly with the pain in their hearts." **_

Beep.

_**Miyako was speechless, not because she was afraid it would happen to her, but because she'd never thought it was possible, but how was she to know that Hideaki was telling the truth. **_

Beep.

"_**You know them more by their common name; I've mentioned it before in threat…they're sometimes called Purgatory Reapers." **_

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeep. 

G/M

They lied Gaara's body down carefully on the softest grass they could find, all looking forlornly at the fallen comrade, leader and friend.

The nearest was Naruto, his best friend, who was tearing up in frustration and sadness. It wasn't fair, it shouldn't be Gaara, if only they had ran faster, if only they had-

"Naruto-kun."

The second one closest to Gaara was Chiyo, she had been so helpful in their fight to save him, but it was all for nothing, he'd already been dead and they only really half avenged him by killing Sasori. Deidara had been the one to kidnap him and he'd gotten away from them, dammit it just made him so mad!

"There was nothing that we could do that we didn't already, Naruto-kun."

Hearing her say those words weren't comforting to him, the end story was that Gaara was still lying there, dead, and that they could do nothing about it. Maybe if they had managed to get some solid information on Akatsuki the sacrifice might've lessened the load on Naruto's shoulders, but the fact that they anticipated their arrival and hadn't managed to make any dent in the Akatsuki forces just made it worse.

"This…this…why is it always Gaara?" And they watched as Naruto gave a passionate spiel to Chiyo, with lots of tears and eloquent phrases and just overall…grief. No one was safe from the grieving and not one eye could say that they were dry but Chiyo's were quickly sparked in determination.

She got herself over to Gaara and kneeled down next to him her hands coming out to glow a green that had everyone looking on confused.

"Hey…what are you doing?" Naruto raged, taking a step forward in demand.

Everyone else was wondering that to except Sakura, who pushed him back with sadness plastered on her face.

He looked confused at her, saw her face and paused, his instinct to console his teammate still strong after all these years of being apart.

"Just…watch Naruto." She smiled sadly still and they both directed their eyes to the scene.

When Chiyo started to tire, her shoulders getting weary and her chakra low; with diminishing hope that she really would be able to save Gaara, Naruto was there by her side in an instant, giving her his chakra to help in the cause.

'He truly is a magnificent boy who will turn into an even greater man.' She smiled widely at him, but the boy was solely focused on releasing his chakra to save his friend and Chiyo couldn't have asked for more.

The process was a long one and everyone had their eyes so riveted to the scene that it was a blessing in disguise the Sakura caught the disturbance.

"What's…that?"

The others, aside from Naruto and Chiyo, looked up in curiosity only to find a transparent purple image of a woman trudging towards them.

"It could be another one of the Akatsuki, stay alert." Kakashi was immediately back in squadron leader mode, his emotions for Naruto's plight all but forgotten at the thought of another attack.

"Neji," Gai's command was obvious and he was tensed for action.

Said boy activated his Byakugan but was astounded to see the woman vanish in his advanced eyesight.

"Impossible, I…cannot see her."

"What?" Tenten, also tensed for a fight was astonished that Neji actually couldn't see something and wondered what kind of jutsu this could possibly be to be able to defeat the Byakugan.

"No matter, this enemy will be no match for my speed and Taijutsu! This adversary will be bested by the power of youth within me!"

In a flash Lee was gone to make good on his promise and in a whirl of leaves a devastating Roundhouse kick was delivered to the foe only for it to phase right through their body.

"What…how did you block?!" Lee followed this question up with many kicks and punches in quick succession only for the transparent woman to trudge on through it all as if she wasn't even aware that he was there.

Lee being fed up with this practice quickly ran in front of her, blocking her straight path with a determined look on his face.

"Halt this un-youthful attack-Miyako-chan?"

After getting a good look at her it was in fact a purple tinted transparent version of Miyako the last time they'd seen her, with a long curly mane tied up in a ponytail, scarf covered face, Suna headband around her neck, fishnet over black and gold studded bra, sheer skirt with leggings underneath and ninja sandals. The only difference was the obviously physical outside appearance and instead of lively purple eyes; dead grey that seemed lost to the world around her and only focused on something ahead.

"Miyako-chan? What dishonorable practice is this? A foul Genjutsu, Ninjutsu? Miyako-chan, speak to us-"

The transparent Miyako heeded no words, even going so far as to walk right through Lee to get to her destination, leaving him shivering from a cold that seemed to bypass his skin and settled right into his heart and soul, chilling it with a bone-deep sort of sadness.

"Lee!" Gai called and the man came rushing back to his sensei, still shivering but a little more understanding of the situation.

"Someone has activated some sort of jutsu that allows them to take shape of someone in the form of what looks and feels like a ghost. From what you've seen physical attacks are useless and this jutsu does not seem to react to outside stimulus-"

"But had it been a Ninjutsu I would have been able to detect it." Neji argued, obviously miffed at whatever this Miyako-look-alike could be.

"Maybe it's a Genjutsu?" Tenten suggested.

"No." Kakashi murmured beside them, stunned beyond comprehension. If this wasn't a Genjutsu, as his Sharingan told him and it wasn't a Ninjutsu, as Neji's Byakugan claimed, then what the hell was it?

"This maybe a Kinjutsu Kakashi. Lee said that the transparent woman looked like Miyako, and felt like a ghost, and physical attacks are useless against it."

"What are you saying Gai?" Kakashi was afraid of what Gai was saying; he didn't even want to entertain the notion that whatever it was could actually _be_…

"This could be a less sophisticated version of the Edo Tensei, which means-"

"That that ghost could really be Miyako's soul…" Kakashi sighed, hardly wanting to believe that someone would go so far and stoop so low as to put that girl through more misery than she'd already been through. Couldn't they just let the dead rest in peace?

Sakura, who'd already further proven that this Miyako-would-be-ghost was not just some simple Genjutsu was attempting to ward her off from her supposed destination, Gaara.

Her chakra fists were already swinging for Miyako, who finally sustained a hit that literally made her head spin.

It was then that Miyako spoke her first words to them.

"Move." A flat, chilling growl that spiked fear into everyone's hearts. All the sudden Sakura was sent flying towards Kakashi and the others, fortunately Lee had the speed to catch her mid- air and bring her back down to safety, though both were winded by the strength behind the hit.

"Sakura-chan, are you okay? What happened?"

The pink haired medic-nin groaned and clutched her stomach. "She blasted me with something, something purple, like those energy blasts she used on Sasuke at their first battle, but I feel so cold."

"I too felt that sensation when this un-youthful copycat of Miyako-chan walked right through me!"

"LEE! You must not speak in such dishonorable tones, for this Miyako could very well be the real Miyako!"

"If that's so then why is she attacking us?"

"It could be as Kakashi-sensei said: that this Miyako is a result of a Kinjutsu that somehow raises the spirits of those deceased and forces them to do their master's bidding." Tenten recited.

While all this was going on Kakashi had jumped into the battle, making such an uproar that even Naruto noticed.

"What's going on? Whose Kakashi –sensei fighting?" Chiyo could already see that the thought of another attack on Gaara was angering the boy and thusly messing up his concentration on funneling his chakra to hers.

"Hush boy, do not pay attention to your teammates battles." Chiyo scolded lightly.

"But what if they're in trouble?" The unpredictable ninja argued.

"Do you want to save your friend or not?"

He did indeed, but he wanted to argue that he'd rather not at the sake of another comrade.

"You all risked your lives in coming here to save the Kazekage's life anyhow, I'm sure that your sensei would be disgraced, even angry at any sign of your help. Kakashi can hold his own."

At the old woman's words he relaxed considerably his chakra coming back brighter than before.

Meanwhile Kakashi was carefully assessing this battle with "Miyako", and was convinced that this was her actual spirit, but set on a primal instinctual level that clearly only wanted to fulfill some objective that had to do with Gaara. Whether this objective was good or bad was in question, but Kakashi wasn't taking chances if the girl's spirit was being manipulated.

He hissed as a purple tentacle managed to cut into his arm while he blasted another with a continuous Daiquiri. He was sure that if her tentacles didn't do the job exhaustion would bring him down just as quickly with the rate they were going. He threw a kunai, knowing it would be useless against these strange attacks, but using it more as a decoy to launch more severe Ninjutsu to slow her down, because that was all he think of to do; no higher level Ninjutsu he was using was working to stop her actions, rather they were simply distracting and irritating the spirit. And while he had no qualms about using his borrowed Sharingan on his enemies, this was what he determined was Miyako's _spirit_ and he would like to figure some way to send her back to rest in peace rather than completely destroying her.

There was also the added bonus of simply not being able to bring himself to use just what he knew was capable of stopping her, because if she was Miyako as he saw her to be that meant that she was still…like his little sister. Granted she was like his little sister that had initially betrayed the Leaf Village with the Sand and was thought to have gained their trust to use as a weapon against them, but then she had turned around and betrayed her own village for his people. He had been confused for a long time about that, he didn't know how to feel about his supposed little sister: at first he had felt anger, so much that he dabbled with the idea of slapping his own student for even thinking of arguing a funeral for a traitor. Then Naruto had made him see it from a different light, confusing him to the point that it hurt to even think of what Miyako meant to him anymore and so he threw it away to deal with when he had, which he had presumed would be never.

Yet here he was battling against what he was sure now was considered his little sister and hesitating to perform duties that had been ingrained into him as a child because of his emotions.

And it seemed to be getting him nowhere.

"Miyako." He huffed as he slid back with another one of her vicious energy-like attacks. "I know that you have to be in there somewhere." He winced at his change of tactics but it was literally the only thing he could think of to somehow fix the situation they were in.

An animalistic growl countered his statement as false and she lunged for him.

"Miyako it's me, Kakashi-sensei, your Japanese Literature teacher?" He tried weakly as he ducked and dodged.

She froze for a beat that almost gave Kakashi too much hope but only added fuel to the fire when she bared her teeth in a deep growl. "Kakashi." She hissed. "You will yield." She spat and he narrowly avoided an electric disc to the face.

He was appalled that she was regaining speech and even more appalled when her only flaw that he could find, her slow, predictable Ninjutsu based attacks, were picking up in speed.

He dodged a few energy bullets but was caught off guard when she suddenly grabbed onto him and hurtled him over Gaara, Naruto and Chiyo and to Gai and the others.

Gai caught him, barely, but Kakashi was much less concerned with being winded as he was with the sudden predicament of the three being barely protected.

"Lee, go guard the others!"

"But Kakashi-sensei, this Miyako-chan is unaffected by physical attacks-"

"Something's changed, if you hadn't noticed she just picked me up and tossed me halfway across this clearing to you, I hypothesize that she can receive physical damage now, and if not I'm more than sure you'll be able to time it right to catch her off guard to where she can."

Meanwhile Miyako had been revealed to a weak but still determined looking Chiyo and a now dumbfounded Naruto.

"M-Miyako-chan?"

"Ah, so you know this girl? " Chiyo murmured thoughtfully. "Does Gaara by any chance know this girl?"

"Chiyo-baa-chan, that was Gaara's guard three years ago before she-she d-died in the battle between Konoha and Suna during the Chuunin exams."

"Ah, when we were being lorded over secretly by that awful snake Orochimaru, such fools we were back then…and even still now, but I'm sure Gaara will bring about wisdom in his reign."

"Enough!" Miyako shouted; eyes suddenly alight with fury as purple energy moved about her in violent ways. "Unhand what is mine to protect foolish mortals or suffer my wrath!"

"Ah, so she is as I thought, no other creature save a Purgatory Reaper could have those features."

Naruto wasn't really paying attention to the old ladies musings, he was more or less thinking that Miyako's voice sounded scary wrong, he was so used to the serious and stoic Miyako or the bubbly and nice Miyako, not this feral and angry Miyako threatening them now.

"Miyako-chan stop! Don't let whatever is controlling you win! We're trying to help Gaara, not hurt him!"

"LIES!" And then an energy crackling fist was aimed at their heads ready to shoot them off.

Then several things happened at once. Lee came running, Chiyo fell over, Miyako dodged Lee's oncoming attack and Gaara opened his eyes.

Naruto, who had been simultaneously fretting over Chiyo, Miyako and Lee, instantly whipped his head down to survey a confused Sabaku No Gaara.

A heartfelt moment of relief and joy was soon turned confused as a terrifying scream was released causing both Naruto and Gaara to whip their heads to the sound in a double case of caution and puzzlement.

Gaara could not see what was going on having had his vision blocked by the way Naruto's body was angled towards him, but Naruto could see it all, and watched on in acute fear and fascination.

It was obvious to him that the Miyako they saw was a ghost, after all what else could she be? But the sight of that was nothing compared to what was before him.

Her transparent body was flickering rapidly into a tan, a process that pained her it seemed if the screaming was anything to go by, but the weirdest thing of all was what happened after.

From her heart came a hideous crack and then her body physically caved in on itself near the organ and began to chip rapidly away, all the while she was screaming incoherencies.

They watched until she was nothing but pained purple eyes that crumbled with the rest of her body, the ashes quickly swept away with the wind.

All was silent. What could one say to those events? Things were quickly picked up at the arrival of not only the rest of the Sand siblings, but a fraction of the Sand village as well.

All semi- crowded around Gaara, still wary of his health, but not enough to smother him with attention and love he deserved after such a traumatic experience.

Gaara was happy, but he was seized with cold feelings in his soul that plagued him all throughout the impromptu celebration of his health.

"Naruto?" He asked quietly; his voice scratchy from disuse.

"Yeah?"

"What happened…just now, the screaming?"

Naruto may have been slow at a lot of things, but he knew this much…

"Nothing, Kakashi…just sustained an injury, it hurt a lot."

Gaara didn't need to know.

G/M

"Kazekage-sama, we're sorry to bother you with this nonsense-"

"It's not nonsense, I told you he would prefer it this way so do as say." Temari snapped, her arm squeezing protectively around her brother as he looked on impassively at the medic-nin as he explained the situation.

"Raccoon-san has been dead for three days, since your kidnapping, we would've burned the body as is customary but Kankuro and Temari-san insisted that we do it this way-"

"Gaara decides what happens to Raccoon, she was his head ANBU." Kankuro argued further and then looked to Gaara to gauge his reaction.

Gaara, even after death, was still as unreadable as ever. He said nothing, bypassed Temari's fretting, made his way over to the bed and proceeded to stare at his former subordinate.

They were very good at not bothering the stare off at all, though the medic-nin did look a little jumpy at the tense atmosphere.

Finally he reached out one hand; lightly grabbed her wrist skimmed his fingers over it before letting it go gently.

"Now you may burn her."

G/M

…**.Please don't hurt me? **

**This should make up for your anger! The next chapter is called Queen of Liars. So since there's going to be a next chapter I should not get that many death threats...although the end of the next chapter might…**

**Anyway, bye-bye!**

**Sexy, Fit, Acronym! **


	17. Queen of Liars

A/N: Hello! It's time for the much anticipated chapter 17! This is what it all boils down to; by the end of this chapter you might just break your computer in complete frustration and anger. The sheer fact that I am telling you that I expect a lot of death threat reviews should make you suspicious now. Enough of the babbling though, let's get down to the meat.

Reviewer love time!

Flatwaffles29: Man, you are always one of the first ones! I'm glad you find my plot devices fascinating and that I've managed to trip you up with them. You've just made me doubly happy.

REDRydingHood: Alright! Here it is!

jus4theheckofit98: Don't die please. I don't want to go to jail, so here's the next chapter.

Red X17: Whoa! I got you to say more than two words! Accomplishment I should kill off main characters more often if it'll get you to talk more! Sorry for assuming you were a girl, but I respect you man!

TMC-Yuki: I'm glad my writing makes you happy, that's all I ask for in life is to make people happy. As for your purgatory soul question…you'll just have to see.

Guest1: Yessssssssssssssssssss

Guest2: I love all you reviewers inflating my ego. I'm glad you recognize my greatness :D

Victor B. Thomas: It's about time buddy! And you'll find the answers to all of your questions wrapped up in this nice little package of a chapter…but you might think the ending is worse than her death…

a Wiccan: Yay! New reviewer! Well here's more for you darling!

La: You'll just have to see now won't you?

GMNASAI: I'm glad you think it was interesting…but what do you mean by "what the hell?"

Guys…I'm at over a hundred reviews! You guys are the best! If I manage to have two hundred by the time this story is over…I will be a happy girl indeed.

Alright, disclaimer!

Miyako: SFA wishes for two things. One: To own Naruto. That will never happen. Two: That all of you precious reviewers won't kill her by the time you finish reading this chapter. That is more likely to be fulfilled, because you don't know where she lives.

SFA: Truth! Onwards

Queen of Liars

The desert sun beat down on mercilessly on a pair of travelers; almost as if it was angry at the two for even existing as they walked slowly away from The Village Hidden in the Sand.

Of the pair, one had dull purple eyes that looked straight ahead, their face emotionless but their mind in turmoil as it thought over the recent events.

G/M

**Miyako learned the day of Gaara's resurrection that the inside of her mind was **_**really**_** dark. **

**She could hear breathing, was it her own? It was too dark to see anything other than the color black, but when she squinted she could make out fuzzy lights ahead. **

**Oh damn, was she **_**really**_** dead this time? They'd always said in those cliché stories that a light at the end of the tunnel was supposed to lead to the afterlife. Was this fuzzy light supposed to lead her to a better place of some sort? **

**She didn't know how she felt about actually dying. Actually, she did know that she felt mixed feelings between relief and sadness. **

'**I've been wanting to die for quite some time now, since I learned I'd have to marry that God-awful Uchiha however many hundred years ago that was, but now I'm not as…pleased as I thought I'd be with this outcome.' **

**As if she didn't already know the reason of her sadness and regret. **

'**Gaara…I wish that I could've had the time or courage to tell you the truth, you didn't deserve to be lied to, no matter how I justify it.' **

**The worse-case scenario of that scene had already played out mildly in her head, with Gaara either banishing her from his life, which is exactly the same thing as dying in her book, or perhaps outright killing her himself. She couldn't decide between the two which was the better option. **

**But at least she would've had some semblance of control over the situation, and if she were honest with herself: she needed that control; it was the only thing keeping her sane. Falling from a princess to a magical servant of anyone who happened to rub a lamp the right way was a hard concept to grasp at first, and even still when she finally learned that she had no choice but to be ordered around, it was hard to just let go of a power that she'd held so long. Loopholes and crafty misconstrued meanings were the closest thing she could find of control in this life style, and to have it all ripped away from her by outside forces or inner weakness was not only frustrating but degrading. **

**It was already frustrating enough loving the boy, and she couldn't claim it as plutonic feelings as a born-again Purgatory Reaper, because in loving him her instincts told her to make sure Gaara was happy, always and all the time, even if that meant he loved another besides herself, as torturous as that sounded. **

**Love made one lose all control, that's why when Hideaki had first informed her that it was possible to **_**love**_** one's master, she'd nearly lost it on him. Even then at the tender age of 16 she'd known that love was a risky and, if one didn't choose carefully, heart-wrenching endeavor. Maybe if she hadn't had prior experience in heartbreak her attitude might've been different…**

'**No, I haven't thought of him in years, now is not the time…' **

**Nevertheless, normal people in love could hardly control themselves in a sane manner, so for a genie to possibly attempt this and bind themselves forever without question to another person? It was like Miyako signing her own death warrant. **

**She'd thought it would never be her…but Hideaki had called it and she'd fallen right into the trap, hard, for a boy turning man that barely even knew she existed, and when he had he'd certainly had less than fuzzy feelings for her. **

'**Maybe its better that I am dead so I don't have to face these realities, so don't have to lose control over my life ever again…'**

**The feeling of something warm traveling up her hand and through her arm halted any thoughts she would've liked to pine over. The feeling was so warm against the stark contrast of nothingness that surrounded her that it caused a sharp gasp…**

**And then white filled her vision instead.**

G/M

The farther away they traveled from Suna the more composed the mask of the purple-eyed individual became, but one could see the real story if they looked into their eyes.

Deep sadness, regret, frustration, fury and heartache, but the other person wasn't looking, and if they were, they didn't care.

G/M

**Gaara had turned around and was walking away; resigning himself to burying his emotions and finding another ANBU just as incredible as Raccoon. **

**Why were all these deaths happening all around him? And why always the people who made drastic and bettering changes in his life? First Miyako and now Raccoon…he didn't know if he could take any more of the mounting stress. **

**A sharp breath brought him back to the present. Another thing he was really tired of lately: confusion. Why was everyone insisting on keeping him out of the loop? **

"**Gaara turn around." Kankuro murmured in disbelief. **

**He did so, slowly, in case it was more bad news, though he couldn't imagine what could be worse about this already gloomy situation: his best ANBU was dead.**

**Temari's jaw was dropped, a rare sight indeed that made Gaara even more curious to see what all the fuss was about. **

**The medic-nin looked similar to Temari, except they looked very close to fainting with their dumbfounded expressions, which made Gaara even more curious about what could be going on. **

**He was not expecting a breathing Raccoon, much less a steadily hyperventilating Raccoon. **

**Despite the fact that this seemed nearly impossible: how moments ago he had felt her nonexistent pulse and was sure she was dead, she was now, miraculously, alive. **

**Granted, he was supposed to be dead to and was now alive, but someone had given up their life for him so that made more sense, this predicament did not. **

**He took this calmly.**

"**Don't just stand there gaping, help her." He commanded monotonously. **

**The medic-nin scrambled to her now violently coughing body, reinserting the IV into her arm and scanning over her body worriedly. **

"**A-amazing." The nurse floundered as she continued to scan over the rapidly awakening Raccoon. **

"**What is it nurse?" **

"**It seems that her chakra levels are…regenerating themselves…amazing…" The nurse stood there otherwise speechless from the shock; everyone was obviously shocked, only Gaara maintained a cool face. **

"**Temari." Gaara snapped, snapping her to attention. **

"**Yes Gaara?" She still darted her eyes from her brother to his ANBU curiously. **

"**Go get the doctors, now." His tone left no room for argument, but even if it hadn't his glare would've finished the job. **

"**Understood." And then she was off and the other three were all left to think the same thing. **

'**Raccoon…what are you hiding?' **

G/M

Suna was now a speck in the distance, the sun had long since dipped over the horizon and the purple eyed traveler was convinced that they were only spending the night in the desert to further torture her with memories.

She wouldn't put it past her companion to subject her to such things.

There was no camp, just the two lying down beside each other; with her companion threading fingers through her hair while she looked steadfastly into his chest, futilely pretending he was someone else, someone she loved.

"Sleep." His flat, monotone voice commanded, and so she closed her eyes in obedience.

G/M

**Raccoon was given leave from the hospital after five days of intense study. And while they could not for the life of them figure out how Raccoon had come back from the dead**, **they did know that she, for all of her amazing chakra feats, had depleted her supply and for all the world could not regain what she'd lost. **

**They'd tried questioning her endlessly on not only her miraculous recovery but her strange charka depleting disease but she was no help between coughing up blood and stony silence. **

**Temari came to pick her up upon her release, where the doctors explained her condition. **

"**It's seems Temari-san, that Raccoon-san has a strange chakra eating disease that is slowly weakening her, causing paleness, weight loss, and incessant bloody coughs caused by the failure of her internal organs." **

"**You can't fix it?" Temari murmured quietly after a few moments of shock. **

"**We've tried all we can think of, we will certainly keep trying, but if we cannot think of a way for her body to accept outside chakra the disease will only continue to spread and…"**

"**Kill her." Temari finished with a heavy sigh. "What do you suggest we do, doctor?" **

"**We might be able to slow the process if we keep her quarantined-"**

"**You think it's contagious?"**

"**We can't know for sure." **

"**This is one of the best ANBU in Suna we're discussing, and I personally know her well enough to know she won't simply allow herself to be quarantined if she feels she doesn't need to be." **

"**Temari-san this is not about Raccoon-san's feelings, for the good of Suna we need to-"**

"**She has done everything for the good of Suna! If my assumptions are correct then she's had this unfortunate disease for quite some time now, and since you checked over Gaara and he did not have the same symptoms then it's reasonable to conclude that it is not contagious." **

"**Temari-san-"**

"**But that's not to say that I don't agree with minimizing her workload. She needs rest, that's indisputable, but we will not isolate her and wait for her to die." **

**Temari didn't allow any more arguments from the doctor as she turned her heel to him to tell Raccoon the inevitable news. **

**Needless to say she didn't take it well at all. **

"**Temari-san, please." She croaked weakly, a hacking cough interrupting her plea. **

"**How can you sit here and beg me to come back to work? Although I can understand not being excited about your situation, most ANBU would kill to have more days off." She joked lightly. **

"**I didn't become ANBU to be disposable so soon, and if I must…"Raccoon grinded her teeth painfully, "succumb to this disease, I would like to be useful while I still can."**

"**Raccoon, labor could only speed up the process-" Temari tried to sway, gently. **

"**I don't care!" She yelled, uncharacteristically. Temari, even with all of her ninja training, jumped just slightly at the outburst; she imagined that if Raccoon's face could be seen it would be streaked with frustrated tears.**

"**It's better than being pitied and wasting the time I have now to be of worth! It's better than sitting in a bed wasting away waiting to die!" **

**Temari was more than willing to argue and she would've had she been dealing with any other ANBU. Raccoon, however, was different. She wasn't just any ANBU; she was Gaara's guard, she had been a confidant, a counselor and something of a friend to the Sand Siblings. She went beyond any description of any ANBU, she took her job farther than any ANBU Temari had ever known and she, most of all, accomplished tasks that ordinary ANBU would think twice about. **

**She had been willing to do so much for them, so it was only fair that Temari do as much as she could for her in however long she had left.**

"**Alright, send yourself to an early grave then." **

**But that didn't mean she had to be okay with it. **

G/M

They got caught in a sandstorm halfway out of the desert. Luckily the purple eyed traveler was powerful, more than powerful enough to erect a barrier around the pair as the sandy winds beat upon it mercilessly.

She wouldn't have been surprised if nature itself was against them, after all she in the deepest parts of her heart was against this. It just didn't show on her face.

"What are you thinking about?" The flat voice demanded, again, as it had a hundred times since they'd left.

She couldn't tell him the truth; he didn't ask to hear the truth, so she told him what he wanted to hear, a lie.

"Nothing."

**G/M**

**Raccoon actually lasted much longer than the siblings expected, but that wasn't without consequences. Though she had managed to hide her disease quite easily the first few weeks and perform all of her normal tasks, it became much harder for her to keep up the façade as the weeks wore on. Her workload decreased and her health declined until even Kankuro, the thickest of the three, noticed the changes. And, surprisingly enough, he was the one to broach the subject. **

"**Raccoon you need to take off work." **

**Temari, who had been subtly eyeing Raccoon as she had coughed for a consecutive five minutes, whipped her head to Kankuro in shock and Gaara, who had been signing paperwork as if he was oblivious, looked up in interest.**

"**W-" Kankuro rolled his eyes as her sentence was interrupted with a particularly painful sounding wet cough. **

"**You can't even talk properly, how can you even think that you'll be able to protect Gaara from a threat in your condition?" **

**Temari bit her lip, debating between arguing for the stupidity that was Raccoon's determination or take the obvious side of the spectrum and force Raccoon to relinquish her position as Gaara's head ANBU. It was like choosing between her brother and her friend, but in the end she knew whose life was more valuable and that was logic that Raccoon couldn't refuse. **

"**He's right Raccoon, we've let you play pretend long enough, but now you're in no condition to protect Gaara, much less yourself."**

**Between her hacking coughs she begged: "N-no, please" and it was hard not to give her what she wanted, but being a ninja constituted hard decisions and this was one of the easier ones. **

"**Raccoon," Gaara interjected, interrupting whatever arguments both Temari and Kankuro had prepared. **

**The ANBU tensed as trained, her aura giving off wary signals as she waited. **

"**I hereby lift from you the burden that is the title of my head ANBU with one last order that you take leave from ANBU for recuperation." **

**Raccoon sniffed a little before letting out a shuddering cough that started a steady drip of blood from the bottom of her mask. **

"**Raccoon-" Temari cried alarmed, because no matter how much death you encounter in the ninja world, watching those you care about die is always a hard thing to swallow.**

"**I understand Kazekage-sama." She rasped, bowing shallowly. **

"**You will recover from this, they will find a way." Even Gaara didn't want to believe that she would die, so everyone pitched in with playing pretend. **

"**If Gaara can be lifted from the dead then there has to be a chance for you." Temari tried to joke lightly. **

"**Yeah, we only wish that you'd show us that pretty face of yours before you take that leave of absence." **

**Miyako reacted to that word "wish", even if it was the wrong person, she even found herself wishing she could do that herself. **

'**You can't change natures now.' She reminded herself viciously, 'a coward deserves a coward's death.'**

**Even so Kankuro didn't "wish" it for joking purposes; he wasn't asking to sate his curiosity like he had hundreds of times before, he knew the permanency of the situation even if he was pretending for her sake. What he really "wished" was to look into the face of the person that had served them faithfully, to complete the vision to honor his fallen comrade properly and she couldn't give it to him. **

"**Yes, we do wish." Gaara amended. **

**Or could she? **

**Her heart stopped beating for all of three seconds and she'd sworn she'd died when the reality of the situation crashed upon her. **

**The fifth wish, Gaara had finally used his fifth wish. Gaara had used his fifth wish to reveal her identity in order to honor her in her death, but now, now that he'd used his fifth wish, she was saved. Gaara had saved her by relinquishing her of the constraints of his disbelief; all she had to do was fulfill his final wish and she'd be free of his disbelief, free of his mastery, free of **_**him**_**. This was a good thing; this was for the best.**

**So why did it feel like her heart was being sand coffined to death at the thought of being separated from Gaara? **

**And it wasn't like she could just ignore his wish, a wish was like a pretty way of saying a demand, and to ignore a demand from a master was like wishing a death worse than hers upon oneself. Granted, there were still loopholes galore that she could exploit in that last, vague wish, but her heart squeezed at lying to Gaara in her final moments with him when she'd been lying to him for the last two years. His wish was to honor her, a lie of her maybe, but the least she could do to honor him in their last moments together was to give him at least a bit of truth. **

"**For all that you've given me Kazekage-sama, I would be honored to show you my face." She grinned wryly beneath her mask at the fluidity of that sentence before a gloved hand came up and slowly removed the mask. **

**Wild curly hair sprang free, finally unbidden after years of restraint and purple eyes carefully regarded her master... her former master to gauge his reaction. These two signature traits, coupled with still slightly sickly olive skin sent the three into a silent frenzy of emotion that froze them. **

**When they didn't move Miyako smiled sadly and made her way briskly to Gaara, the fear of rejection, anger or violence absent from her face as she slowly started to fade in front of the sibling's eyes.**

**She was just a transparent flickering image by the time she'd reached Gaara; purple deigned one last look into appalled sea foam eyes before she took one last leap of courage. **

G/M

The whole trip she hadn't been allowed to look backwards, not even to check for pursuers, he wouldn't allow it.

It was only now that they were out of the desert that he'd demanded she stay up to lookout for the night, the Sand Village long gone from view and a threat of Suna ninja long out of his mind as he laid his head down in their makeshift campsite.

That's when Miyako Kurosawa got to finally look back and silently mourn.

G/M

**Uhhh, please don't kill me? **

**Many things to address here peoples so let's get started. **

**One: Sorry I took so long to update, but in my defense classes have sucked ass and I've only gotten a chance now, you know since its spring break, to even attempt to write anything that isn't a stupid essay for a stupid class. **

**Two: So…how about that ending? **

**Three: -is charred to a crisp by all of the remaining fans she has left- Uh, would you forgive me if I said it's not over? **

**Four: I'll let anyone who guesses who Miyako's new master is pitch me an idea for a TWT chapter as a reward for being so smart. **** But I'm not going to reveal who the winner is until after the chapter comes out, so don't give up hope and guess! It'll be all the people who get it right in their review with the opportunity to pitch the chapter idea. And as far as the chapter idea goes, please make it reasonable people! Don't ask me to write anything M rated…because that's embarrassing ^=.=^. But other than that it can be almost anything, a side chapter, a side story sort of thing that has nothing to do with the original plot but still contains the same characters…whatever as long as it doesn't involve sex. **

**I think that's it…well see you next time! **

**Sweet, Fabulous, Acronym**


	18. Request for an Apology

Author's Note

Yeah, so I decided to make a sequel despite what I said before. So this story is finished. If you want the next chapter, go to The Dream Makers and you shall be satisfied.

Thanks for understanding

SFA


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